Good morning and welcome back to ScuderiaFans.com for the live coverage of the only free practice session at the 2026 Dutch Grand Prix, round 12 of the Formula 1 World Championship.
FP1 at Zandvoort begins at 12:30 and carries greater importance than usual because this is the fifth Sprint event of the season. Teams therefore have just one free practice session to find the right set-up before the weekend moves into competitive action, leaving very little margin for error. The 2026 Dutch Grand Prix Sprint format makes every lap of Friday practice particularly valuable.
2026 Dutch GP FP1 live: Ferrari introduces new SF-26 floor
Ferrari arrives at Zandvoort with a new floor developed specifically with high-downforce circuits in mind. The upgrade will therefore be one of the main technical areas to follow during FP1 as Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton begin assessing the balance of the SF-26 around the demanding Dutch circuit.
The latest specification forms part of Ferrari’s continuing development programme, with the team having accelerated work on a new SF-26 floor for Zandvoort. With only one hour of practice available, Ferrari will need to understand the new component quickly before the car enters the competitive sessions of the Sprint weekend.
That task could be made more complicated by the weather. Rain remains a possibility both today and tomorrow, introducing another variable at a circuit where finding the ideal set-up is already challenging.
McLaren brings further updates while Mercedes remains largely unchanged
McLaren will also introduce part of the development package whose deployment has been spread across the races from the Hungaroring to Baku. The championship-leading team’s updates will consequently provide another important technical reference during the session.
Mercedes, by contrast, arrives in the Netherlands with a car that is substantially unchanged. Kimi Antonelli has already identified McLaren as the favourite for the Zandvoort weekend, placing further attention on how quickly the papaya cars establish their pace during the only practice hour.
Aston Martin introduces new ADUO-developed power unit
Aston Martin will also be worth monitoring closely after the encouraging upgrades introduced in Hungary. At Zandvoort, the team is set to debut the power unit developed with ADUO, adding another significant technical element to the weekend.
The engine has already completed running during a filming day and provides Honda with renewed hope following its difficult start to the season. FP1 will therefore offer the first opportunity to assess the package during an official Grand Prix weekend.
With Ferrari evaluating a new floor, McLaren continuing its development programme, Aston Martin introducing its updated power unit and the possibility of changing weather conditions, the single practice session is set to be particularly important. Zandvoort is the 12th round on the 2026 Formula 1 calendar, and the Sprint format means teams will have to make their key technical decisions almost immediately.
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