Formula One championship leader Kimi Antonelli signaled a strong return to action after the August break, setting the fastest time during the sole practice session for the Dutch Grand Prix on Friday. The 19-year-old, who celebrates his 20th birthday next week, navigated the seaside Zandvoort circuit in one minute 12.949 seconds. Despite a damp start to the morning, the track dried out, allowing McLaren’s reigning champion Lando Norris to secure the second-fastest time, finishing 0.121 seconds behind the leader. McLaren is currently aiming for a third consecutive victory at this venue, following Norris’s win in Hungary and his previous success at Zandvoort in 2024.
Mercedes showed consistent pace as Antonelli’s teammate, George Russell, claimed the third-fastest spot, trailing the leader by 0.125 seconds. Lewis Hamilton, currently sitting 50 points behind Antonelli in the standings after 11 rounds, finished fourth for Ferrari, 0.190 seconds off the pace. The session was not without incident for the leader, as Antonelli experienced a 360-degree spin with 30 minutes remaining. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc rounded out the top five, followed by Oscar Piastri of McLaren and Audi’s Nico Hulkenberg. Alpine driver Pierre Gasly took eighth, marking the final competitor to finish within a second of Antonelli’s benchmark at a circuit set to host its final Formula One race this weekend.
Local favorite and four-time world champion Max Verstappen struggled with oversteer, managing only the 11th fastest time. In the Red Bull garage, Liam Lawson stepped in as a stand-in for Isack Hadjar, who is sidelined with a wrist injury, and finished 14th. The Racing Bulls entry saw Arvid Lindblad secure 10th place, while Yuki Tsunoda, acting as the reserve driver, placed 17th. Meanwhile, Aston Martin demonstrated technical progress with an upgraded Honda engine, helping Fernando Alonso reach 12th position, while his teammate Lance Stroll ended the session in 18th.
The weekend schedule follows a sprint format, with qualifying for Saturday’s 100km points-scoring race taking place later on Friday. Drivers will return to the track on Saturday afternoon for the qualifying session that determines the grid for Sunday’s main Grand Prix. The report also notes that the Italian, who turns 20 next week, lapped the seaside Zandvoort circuit in a best time of one minute 12.949 seconds with McLaren’s reigning champion Lando Norris second and 0.121 slower on a dry track after a rainy.
