Zandvoort Session 1: World Championship leader Kimi Antonelli sets fastest time after spinning

On Friday’s practice day at Zandvoort, the thermometer read a cool 18 degrees Celsius; the track was slightly warmer at 23.6 degrees as the first session after the summer break got underway. The first driver to take to the track for the first free practice session was Nico Hülkenberg. His Audi team was one of five teams that had not brought any new parts with them. Williams, Racing Bulls, Haas and Cadillac also chose not to test any new developments at the fifth race weekend of the year.

The Alpine team had put together the biggest upgrade package for the first Grand Prix after the summer break. The French team had brought eight new parts with them, including, amongst other things, a new underbody and a new rear wing. Ferrari had also arrived with a new underbody, whilst Aston Martin had made changes to the front wing and diffuser. McLaren had made alterations to the rear wing and the engine cover.

Last year’s winner Oscar Piastri set out on slicks

Hülkenberg started on intermediates, as the track was still damp from the rain shower that had fallen over the circuit just under an hour before the start of practice. The German was soon joined by others, with most drivers also opting for the green-marked tyres. Only last year’s winner, Oscar Piastri, made a bolder decision at the start and was out on the medium tyres. The Australian proved that it was possible to start on slicks, so the field soon switched to the slick tyres.

After the first quarter of an hour, the Mercedes duo topped the timesheets, with championship leader Kimi Antonelli setting the fastest time. His team-mate George Russell, Formula 1 world champion Lando Norris and Liam Lawson – who was standing in for the injured Isack Hadjar in the Red Bull Racing car – rounded out the top four ahead of the two Ferrari stars, Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton. Max Verstappen, Gabriel Bortoleto and Hülkenberg rounded off the top 10.

Max Verstappen vents his frustration over the radio

Carlos Sainz caused the first yellow flags when he ploughed through the gravel trap at Turn 13. The Spaniard had extended his contract with the Williams team by several years during the summer break. Whilst Valtteri Bottas was venting his frustration over the radio about the traffic on the 4.259 km circuit, Hamilton set off on a fast lap. His delight at setting the fastest time in the first sector was short-lived, as Norris also put his foot down and snatched the fastest time in the opening corners.

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Zandvoort: Sprint Qualifying

FIA Formula One World Championship

21.08.2026 - 16:15

But he didn’t have long to dwell on it either, as local hero Verstappen beat that time with a lap of 25.6 seconds. That didn’t lift his spirits, however, as the four-time world champion was once again struggling to downshift, a fact he complained about at length over the radio. “I nearly ended up in the wall because of that – it’s ridiculous,” grumbled the Dutchman, who has extended his contract with the Red Bull Racing Team until the end of 2030.

Spin by World Championship leader Kimi Antonelli

Shortly before the halfway point, the yellow flags were briefly displayed. The reason: championship leader Antonelli spun out in the ninth corner. “I don’t know what happened there,” radioed the Italian, who was then able to continue.

Returnee Yuki Tsunoda fared better, having taken over the Racing Bulls’ wheel from Lawson. The Japanese driver was in 14th place at the halfway stage, having put his foot down for the first time in this new generation of cars and coped quite well. He had also switched to the hard tyres – the slowest slick compound – after one lap on the intermediates.

The two Ferrari stars had established themselves at the top of the timesheets. Hamilton was the fastest for a while, before Leclerc took the lead with a time of 1:14.146. Antonelli, Russell, Norris, Verstappen, Bortoleto, Piastri, Gasly and Lawson rounded out the top 10 ahead of Hülkenberg, Arvid Lindblad, Fernando Alonso, Tsunoda, Lance Stroll, Esteban Ocon, Alex Albon, Ollie Bearman, Sergio Pérez, Franco Colapinto, Sainz and Valtteri Bottas.

Fastest time set by Kimi Antonelli

Spectators were treated to a few off-track incidents; Hamilton also ended up in the gravel trap at Turn 12, but managed to get back onto the track. Verstappen also rattled through the gravel trap at Turn 13, triggering a brief period during which the double yellow flags were waved. “I’m suddenly struggling with severe oversteer; I don’t know why this is happening,” radioed the four-time champion.

Things got exciting again in the final 10 minutes. Most drivers switched to the soft tyres to get in the right frame of mind for the Sprint Qualifying. Piastri set a new fastest time of 1:13.608 minutes, knocking Leclerc off pole position. Norris’s joy was short-lived, however, as Antonelli put his foot down and set a time of 1:12.949 mins on the Dutch tarmac.

Hülkenberg managed a remarkable lap time on the medium tyres, setting the fourth-fastest lap of the session so far. Although the Emmerich native was subsequently overtaken again, he still made a strong impression.