Antonelli Dominates Dutch GP FP1 Ahead of Norris and Russell

Kimi Antonelli sets the FP1 benchmark at Zandvoort with 1m12.949s for Mercedes, heading Lando Norris and George Russell in the only practice before Sprint Qualifying.

The one-hour session begins at 12:30 local, marking Formula 1’s return from the summer break and Zandvoort’s final Grand Prix weekend.

Race control declares the track wet. Most drivers start on intermediates before a crossover to slicks, unlocking pace as grip builds and fuel loads come down.

Antonelli, who leads the championship by 50 points, signals intent with a 1m15.351s on mediums around the 15-minute mark, before the leaders trade short-run gains.

George Russell first dips below 1m15s with a 1m14.951s as Ferrari and Mercedes take turns at the top during the drying phase.

Mid-session, Antonelli spins at Turn 10 but avoids damage. He reports uncertain grip as damp patches persist offline and traffic complicates run plans.

The decisive soft-tyre runs arrive late. Antonelli delivers 1m12.949s to top the session by 0.121s from Norris, with Russell third for Mercedes.

Lewis Hamilton ends fourth ahead of Charles Leclerc in fifth, while Oscar Piastri completes the top six to confirm McLaren’s sharp baseline.

Audi shows promise as Nico Hulkenberg takes seventh. Pierre Gasly is eighth for Alpine, Gabriel Bortoleto ninth for Audi, and Arvid Lindblad completes the top ten.

Home favourite Max Verstappen is 11th after a brief Turn 13 off. Carlos Sainz damages his car with offs at Turns 13 and 11 and finishes last.

Fernando Alonso and Franco Colapinto follow Verstappen. Liam Lawson, standing in at Red Bull, places 14th as he rebuilds rhythm.

At Haas, Ollie Bearman heads teammate Esteban Ocon. Yuki Tsunoda returns at Racing Bulls and logs useful mileage after his break.

Russell’s position remains a live paddock topic, adding context to his pace amid Mercedes’ upturn, as outlined in the recent Russell Mercedes seat focus.

With rain threatening late, teams split programmes between long runs and soft sprints, banking data that will inform Sprint Qualifying and race offsets on day one.

The compressed format amplifies decisions on mechanical balance, ride and tyre allocation. There is little margin to chase evolving grip once qualifying begins.

Zandvoort’s farewell adds narrative weight, while Antonelli’s composure after his Turn 10 spin suggests confidence. More on his approach is explored in Antonelli’s mindset.

For a wider look at run plans, conditions and split strategies across the hour, see the full 2026 F1 Dutch practice overview.

The immediate question is whether Mercedes’ practice edge translates once fuel loads, wind shifts and traffic realities tighten margins in qualifying and race trim.

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Daniel Miller

Daniel Miller reports on Formula 1 Grand Prix weekends with race-day analysis, team-radio highlights, and point-standings updates. He explains power-unit upgrades, aerodynamic developments, and driver rivalries in straightforward, SEO-friendly language for a global F1 audience.