F1 Dutch GP | Hyderabad, August 21: F1 Dutch GP weekend began with Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli setting the fastest time in Friday’s only practice session at Zandvoort.
Antonelli clocked 1:12.949 to finish ahead of McLaren’s Lando Norris and Mercedes teammate George Russell.
Antonelli edged Norris by 0.121 seconds and Russell by 0.125 seconds. Lewis Hamilton finished fourth, while Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc took fifth. Oscar Piastri placed sixth in the second McLaren.
The session marked Formula 1’s return from the summer break. It also carried added importance because drivers had only one practice hour before Sprint Qualifying later on Friday.
The track initially remained damp, with wet patches around the circuit. Several drivers therefore began the session on intermediate tyres. However, conditions improved quickly, allowing teams to switch to slick tyres and chase faster lap times.
F1 Dutch GP: Antonelli leads as teams face changing conditions
Antonelli moved near the front early in the session. However, Ferrari initially showed strong pace as Leclerc and Hamilton exchanged the top position.
Antonelli then faced a tense moment when he spun at Turn 10. The Mercedes driver recovered without damage. He later returned to the track and delivered the fastest lap during the final minutes.
Leclerc had held the fastest time until the closing stages. Drivers then switched to soft tyres for qualifying simulations. Norris, Hamilton and Leclerc all briefly moved to the top before Antonelli produced the decisive lap.
Behind the leading group, Nico Hulkenberg finished seventh for Audi. Pierre Gasly took eighth for Alpine, while Audi’s Gabriel Bortoleto finished ninth. Racing Bulls rookie Arvid Lindblad completed the top 10.
Home favourite Max Verstappen could manage only 11th place. The Red Bull driver also had a brief excursion at Turn 13.
Fernando Alonso finished 12th for Aston Martin. Franco Colapinto was 13th, while Liam Lawson took 14th after stepping into Red Bull’s wider driver line-up for the weekend.
Carlos Sainz endured the most difficult session. The Williams driver ran wide at Turn 13 and later went off again at Turn 11. His car suffered floor damage, leaving him at the bottom of the timing order.
The F1 Dutch GP now moves directly into Sprint Qualifying. Teams must make quick decisions because the Zandvoort event provides limited practice time before competitive sessions begin.
The 2026 Dutch Grand Prix also marks the final F1 event scheduled at Zandvoort. That adds further significance to the weekend for Verstappen, Dutch fans and the championship contenders.
Practice 1 results
- Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes — 1:12.949
- Lando Norris, McLaren — +0.121s
- George Russell, Mercedes — +0.125s
- Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari — +0.190s
- Charles Leclerc, Ferrari — +0.289s
- Oscar Piastri, McLaren
- Nico Hulkenberg, Audi
- Pierre Gasly, Alpine
- Gabriel Bortoleto, Audi
- Arvid Lindblad, Racing Bulls
