Formula 1 moves straight into the competitive action at Zandvoort, with Ferrari chasing pole position in Dutch GP Sprint Qualifying after an encouraging opening practice session. Kimi Antonelli ultimately topped FP1 ahead of Lando Norris and George Russell, while Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc had both featured at the front before missing out on representative late qualifying runs.
The Sprint format leaves the teams almost no time to settle into the weekend. After just one practice session, the drivers will immediately fight for the best possible starting positions for Saturday’s Sprint, with the green light for Sprint Qualifying scheduled for 16:30. The full session timetable is available in our 2026 Dutch GP schedule and session guide.
Dutch GP Sprint Qualifying live: Ferrari chase pole at Zandvoort
13:35 – The Zandvoort weekend is already moving into its decisive phase on Friday. Following the opening free practice session, the drivers will immediately turn their attention to setting the fastest possible time ahead of Saturday’s short race. Follow the Dutch Grand Prix Sprint Qualifying action live, with the session beginning at 16:30.
Formula 1 returns from the summer break: what happened in FP1
13:30 – The final 30 minutes of practice featured race-pace simulations followed by qualifying runs, with traffic playing an important role. Kimi Antonelli eventually produced the fastest lap, with Lando Norris second and George Russell third.
Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc were unable to set their representative times in the closing stages after the two Ferrari drivers had spent several minutes at the top of the timing screens. Their early pace nevertheless provided encouraging signs ahead of a session in which finding the correct operating window quickly will be crucial, one of the main themes of the Dutch GP Sprint weekend challenge.
13:00 – During the opening half-hour, track conditions improved continuously following the overnight rain. Ferrari and Mercedes appeared to be the two strongest teams during this phase, repeatedly trading places at the top of the order.
There were also positive signs for Red Bull, which managed to reproduce McLaren’s lap times despite running one tyre compound step behind. Liam Lawson is racing alongside Max Verstappen at Zandvoort because of Isack Hadjar’s injury, while Yuki Tsunoda makes his Formula 1 return in Lawson’s place at Racing Bulls.
With only a single practice session available before Sprint Qualifying, there is little opportunity for teams to make major corrections once competitive running begins. Ferrari now heads into the first qualifying session of the Dutch Grand Prix weekend looking to convert the speed shown during parts of FP1 into a challenge for the front of the grid.
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