Ferrari showed encouraging pace during the first and only free practice session of the 2026 Dutch Grand Prix, particularly on the Medium tyres, but the SF-26 did not fully exploit the available grip when Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc switched to the Soft compound for their qualifying simulations. With Zandvoort hosting a Sprint weekend, the Maranello team has little time to refine the details before competitive action begins.
Ferrari needs to maximise every opportunity if it wants to keep its World Championship ambitions alive. In a Sprint format, even relatively small set-up details can have a significant impact on the final result, and there is virtually no margin for mistakes. The team also has updates available at Zandvoort and used comparative running during FP1 to gather data on the new components, continuing the SF-26 development programme for the Dutch Grand Prix.
Ferrari begins Dutch GP FP1 in difficult track conditions
The only 60 minutes of free practice were immediately complicated by the weather. Morning rain had left the Zandvoort asphalt damp, meaning the entire field initially headed out on intermediate tyres. Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc also left the pit lane on the grooved Pirellis, but just two laps were enough to establish that intermediates were no longer the most suitable choice.
Ferrari therefore called both drivers back into the garage. Around five minutes later, the SF-26s returned to action on the yellow-marked Medium compound, which normally provides useful and consistent feedback for understanding the car’s fundamental set-up.
Conditions were still far from straightforward because several areas of the circuit remained damp. Hamilton and Leclerc consequently had to exercise caution to avoid losing control of their cars while grip levels continued to evolve.
After carrying out a couple of constant-speed runs to test developments around the central section of the car, the Ferrari drivers began to push harder. Despite the track still not being completely optimal, both SF-26s appeared well planted. It was an encouraging first indication, although the real competitive picture would only become clearer once the session moved into more representative running.
Lewis Hamilton looks comfortable as Ferrari shows strength on Medium tyres
Once the first meaningful lap times had been completed, the drivers received several suggestions concerning braking and rotation. Hamilton and Leclerc made frequent use of their steering-wheel settings as they attempted to fine-tune the SF-26’s handling, while Ferrari also made a couple of adjustments to the front-wing load in an effort to improve the overall balance.
Of the two Ferrari drivers, Lewis Hamilton initially appeared the more comfortable. The seven-time world champion showed good sensitivity behind the wheel and was able to make effective use of the car’s characteristics in the changing conditions.
Around 20 minutes into the session, Carlos Sainz made contact with the barriers, although the incident did not cause a stoppage. Ferrari was therefore able to continue its programme without interruption.
Carlo Santi was satisfied with the behaviour of Hamilton’s number 44 and confirmed over the radio that the car was performing well. The race engineer then asked whether Hamilton wanted to continue with the existing configuration or return to the pits and move on with the planned programme.
Hamilton chose to remain on track so he could understand the SF-26 more thoroughly. The decision paid off, with the British driver eventually opening a gap of almost three tenths over George Russell’s Mercedes W17 during that phase of running.
Charles Leclerc builds confidence before Ferrari race simulation
Charles Leclerc initially had more difficulty extracting everything from his Ferrari. Unlike Hamilton, the Monegasque opted to complete two harder laps before moving on to the race-pace simulation, using the extra running to improve his confidence with the car.
That approach worked. Leclerc moved to the top of the timesheets as his feeling with the SF-26 improved, before returning to the pits just as Hamilton had done.
The long-run phase then provided another positive indication for the Scuderia. Ferrari’s performance on the Medium compound appeared competitive, supporting the expectations surrounding the car at a circuit where tyre management and set-up compromise are particularly important. Pirelli’s wider Zandvoort tyre picture adds another strategic variable to an already compressed Sprint weekend.
Ferrari race pace looks strong during high-fuel running
After five laps of Hamilton’s high-fuel run, Carlo Santi was clear in his assessment over team radio: the pace was very good. The telemetry from car number 44 supported that impression, while the onboard footage showed a relatively precise steering response without the need for severe corrections.
Rotation was not yet perfect, however. Small steering inputs were still required to help position the SF-26 into certain corners, indicating that there remained room to refine the balance.
Leclerc was running the same high-fuel configuration and the same tyre compound, although his pace was slightly less convincing. The Monegasque made a few more minor mistakes behind the wheel, but there was nothing particularly serious. Neither driver appeared completely satisfied with the car, even though the overall pace remained very strong.
Hamilton returned to the garage slightly earlier to prepare for the final stage of the session, while Leclerc stayed out for two additional laps. When Charles Leclerc eventually pitted, Ferrari offered him the opportunity to alter the front-end load. He accepted and requested two additional points of front load for the final run, which would be completed on the Soft tyres.
Ferrari still has work to do on Soft-tyre qualifying pace
After a very short pause, both SF-26s returned to the circuit on the softest Pirelli compound available for the Dutch Grand Prix. Ferrari devoted considerable attention to tyre activation before Hamilton and Leclerc began their first qualifying-style attempts.
Once again, Hamilton was initially the faster of the pair. He gained around three tenths over his team-mate in the first sector, although he gave two tenths back in Sector 2. Their Sector 3 times were identical.
Santi informed Hamilton that Turn 7 was the only section of the circuit where he still needed to find an improvement. Ferrari then opted for two cool-down laps before the next flying attempt, giving the tyres time to recover before another push lap.
Leclerc improved on his second attempt, but Hamilton again moved ahead of him. The final difference between the Ferrari drivers was approximately one tenth of a second, with the seven-time world champion appearing better able to interpret the SF-26’s characteristics during the single-lap runs.
The Soft-tyre phase nevertheless showed that Ferrari still has work to do if it is to maximise the available grip over one lap. That will be particularly important when the margins between the leading teams are expected to become very small.
Ferrari, Mercedes and McLaren set for close Zandvoort qualifying fight
Mercedes and McLaren also demonstrated that they cannot be discounted. Both teams look highly competitive and appear capable of fighting Ferrari for the front row, setting up a potentially tight contest when the first of the Dutch Grand Prix weekend’s two qualifying sessions takes place later.
For the Scuderia, the task is now to put every element together and deliver a complete lap. The gaps between the leading teams are likely to be minimal, meaning small differences in tyre preparation, braking, rotation and driver execution could determine the order.
Ferrari can nevertheless take encouragement from its Medium-tyre performance and the strong pace shown during the high-fuel phase. The main question before qualifying is whether the engineers can translate that underlying performance into a cleaner, more effective Soft-tyre lap when it matters. Further developments around the SF-26 can be followed in our Ferrari technical analysis section.
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