Due to the short nature of the lap at Zandvoort, traffic was always going to play a significant role in qualifying, especially in Q1 and Q2. There were several sections of the track where it was difficult for cars not going at full speed to get out of the way. As a result, th pit walls had a major role to play in ensuring they sent their cars out at the optimum moment.
Q1 at Zandvoort started with the Haas cars straight out, just like the Alfa Romeos, AlphaTauris and Alex Albon: as always, the slower cars were out at the start of these segments. As ever, the five slowest drivers were eliminated at the end of Q1. Zhou Guanyu hit the front from that early group, just ahead of Keviin Magnussen and Mick Schumacher. Encouraging for Alfa Romeo after they looked like Q1 exit candidates all weekend.
The home fans roared as Max Verstappen makde his way around the track on his out lap – and they were delighted as he went to the top of the standings. Neither his team-mate nor the Ferrari F1-75 car were able to match him at this stage. The Dutchman’s 1:11.317 put him almost half a second clear of Carlos Sainz in second. But it was also a solid performance from the Mercedes duo as George Russell went second, fractionally ahead of team-mate Lewis Hamilton in third. They were still a couple of tenths back from Verstappen, but that was enough to avoid a second run in Q1.
Charles Leclerc went for another run, but still couldn’t top Max Verstappen’s leading effort. The Ferrari driver went above both Mercedes cars into second, but was more than a tenth off the world champion. Meanwhile, Sergio Perez put a poor first run behind him, moving up to P5 with another lap on that same set of tyres. Alex Albon lifted himself from the drop zone right up to seventh, ahead of Carlos Sainz.
Mercedes weren’t taking any risks here: both George Russell and Lewis Hamilton were on their way out for a second run. In fact, the top two of Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc were the only cars staying in. Daniel Ricciardo barely found any improvement with his final run: he only went 17th and so was out of Q1 with no time for another lap. It was even worse for Sebastian Vettel, who may have had an issue as he pitted at the end of his lap. He was certainly on a personal best early on.
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Fifteen drivers made their way through to Q2, which got going as the atmosphere build at a jam-packed Zandvoort. But this second this 15-minute segment started with a red flag, as there was a flare on the track. An orange flare was thrown right into the middle of the circuit, spoiling Alex Albon’s early run. He was the only driver on the track. Albon also said there was a “tonne of pigeons around” on team radio. Quite the obstacles!
Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto shared his thoughts from the pit wall: “Track improvement is significant, even during the same run on the same tyres. You cool them down and go again and I think track is certainly faster. Track improvement is something you need to consider, it seems to be all very tight”.
We were therefore back under way with 14 minutes of the session remaining: Alex Albon was straight back out on track, while this time he had Max Verstappen for company. The Dutchman set the pace with a 1:10.927, which he did on used tyres. He was almost 0.4s clear of Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez in second. A good lap from Lando Norris as he went fifth, within a tenth of George Russell and ahead of the Ferrari cars. Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc were six and eight tenths off the pace, but were running more fuel for consecutive laps. The Ferrari drivers were back out on track for their final laps, as Alex Albon went 10th for Williams. Carlos Sainz went fastest, a tenth ahead of Verstappen – though the Red Bull ran on used tyres earlier in Q2.
Charles Leclerc also through, in fourth, while George Russell leapfrogged Max Verstappen into second. Pierre Gasly (AlphaTauri), Esteban Ocon (Alpine), Fernando Alonso (Alpine), Zhou Guanyu (Alfa Romeo) and Alex Albon (Williams) were out in Q2. A great performance for Ferrari junior Mick Schumacher who made it to the final stage of qualifying at Zandvoort.
It was therefore time for the final shootout at Zandvoort. Max Verstappen was the first driver to a set a lap time, and it was an impressive 1:10.515, more than half a second better than his Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez could manage. Lando Norris was third, but 1.6s down on the Dutchman. But Charles Leclerc was able to put in a great lap and went half a tenth faster than Max Verstappen to take top spot at this stage. Lewis Hamilton was third, almost 0.2s back from Charles, while Carlos Sainz could only manage fourth after his first run. George Russell couldn’t better Sergio Perez’s time and was behind the other Red Bull in sixth.
Unfortunately Max Verstappen edged Charles Leclerc with his second fast run, while the Monegasque driver was not able to respond with his last flying lap: Sergio Perez, who was ahead of the Mercedes cars on the track, crashed at the final corner and the yellow flags slowed the Silver Arrows down.
That means Max Verstappen takes pole, with Charles Leclerc alongside him on the front row. Carlos Sainz wil start the Dutch Grand Prix third, with Lewis Hamilton fourth. Sergio Perez hangs on to fifth, with George Russell stuck sixth.
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