Kimi Antonelli Edges Lando Norris in a Frantic Single Practice Session at Zandvoort
Kimi Antonelli reminded the Formula 1 paddock why he leads the world championship, setting the pace in the opening and only practice session for the 2026 Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort. The Mercedes driver carved a 1m12.949s lap late in the hour, edging reigning world champion Lando Norris by just 0.121 seconds in a rapidly evolving, damp-to-dry session that offered teams very little meaningful preparation time.
A Rapidly Drying Circuit Chaos and Early Scramble
The one-hour session began on a damp circuit, forcing most of the field out on intermediate tires to feel out the coastal asphalt. That surface dried almost immediately, rendering the grooved rubber obsolete and prompting drivers like Nico Hulkenberg to demand slicks straight away. Oscar Piastri made the initial switch to medium compound tires, dropping a 1m23.311s before quickly bringing the benchmark down to 1m20.480s as the racing line cleared.
Antonelli seized on the improving grip with a ferocious multi-lap charge, recording successive times of 1m18.264s, 1m16.112s, and 1m15.531s. The lead swapped hands repeatedly through the early running as Lewis Hamilton, George Russell, and Charles Leclerc all took turns at the summit. Antonelli even survived a dramatic 360-degree spin at Turn 10, remarking over team radio, “I don’t know what the heck happened there,” according to F1i.com.
Soft Tire Showdown and Mercedes-Ferrari-McLaren Lockout
The competitive hierarchy crystallized during the frantic soft-tire qualifying simulations in the final ten minutes. Piastri briefly bettered Leclerc’s medium-tyre benchmark with a 1m13.608s before Leclerc reclaimed the top spot. Hamilton then vaulted Ferrari to the head of the timesheets with a 1m13.139s.
Norris responded with a 1m13.105s with five minutes remaining, but Antonelli delivered his decisive 1m12.949s shortly after to secure the top spot. Russell squeezed past Hamilton with a late 1m13.074s to capture third, completing a top-four lockout featuring three different constructors: Mercedes, Ferrari, and McLaren. Leclerc rounded out the top five, while Piastri settled for sixth, 0.659s off the pace.
Midfield Surprises and Red Bull’s Zandvoort Struggles
Hulkenberg delivered one of the standout drives of the morning, piloting his Audi to seventh fastest on medium tires with a 1m13.784s. Pierre Gasly split the Audi garage by taking eighth, Gabriel Bortoleto placed ninth, and Racing Bulls rookie Arvid Lindblad locked down the top ten.
Conversely, Red Bull endured a dismal morning. Championship contender Max Verstappen struggled to 11th, wrestling downshift issues and persistent oversteer before running wide at the final corner. Liam Lawson, stepping in as Isack Hadjar’s replacement, ended the session in 14th.
What Lies Ahead for the Final Zandvoort Grand Prix Weekend
With Zandvoort hosting its final Formula 1 appearance on the current calendar contract, teams must navigate the remainder of the weekend with severely limited data due to the sole practice format.
How do you think Red Bull will solve their balance issues before the clock runs out on their Zandvoort weekend? Let us know your take in the comments below.
