Antonelli leads Dutch GP practice as Red Bull struggles at Zandvoort
Antonelli sets the pace on a rapidly drying track
Kimi Antonelli returned from Formula 1âs summer break in commanding fashion, topping practice for the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort. The Mercedes driver posted a 1m12.949s lap and was the only competitor to break the 1m13s barrier.
McLarenâs reigning world champion Lando Norris finished second on 1m13.070s, while Mercedes team-mate George Russell moved into third late in the session with a 1m13.074s. Lewis Hamilton was fourth for Ferrari, just 0.065s behind Russell, and Charles Leclerc completed the top five.
The session began on a damp circuit, with intermediates the initial tyre of choice. However, the surface improved quickly, prompting Nico Hulkenberg to suggest almost immediately that slicks were needed. Oscar Piastri switched to mediums within five minutes and lowered the benchmark from 1m23.311s to 1m20.480s on his next lap.
That set the pattern for a constantly evolving track. Antonelli moved through 1m18.264s, 1m16.112s and 1m15.531s on his opening three tours, while Hamilton, Russell and Leclerc also took turns at the top. Antonelli endured a 360-degree spin at Turn 10, reporting: âI donât know what the heck happened there.â
The result came as teams evaluated the latest developments covered in our report on Zandvoort upgrades, adding another variable to an already compressed Sprint weekend schedule.
Mercedes edges Ferrari and McLaren
Soft-tyre running began with 10 minutes remaining. Piastri initially set the pace with a 1m13.608s lap, only for Leclerc to respond by going 0.261s faster. Hamilton then took the lead with a 1m13.139s effort before Norris lowered the mark to 1m13.105s.
Antonelliâs final improvement, 0.156s quicker than Norris, settled the top spot. Norris failed to improve on his last lap, while Russellâs late effort lifted him to third. Antonelliâs advantage was particularly significant in the championship context: he holds a 50-point lead over Hamilton, with Russell 59 points behind the leader.
The leading trio of Mercedes, Ferrari and McLaren occupied the first six positions. Audiâs Hulkenberg was the standout midfield performer in seventh, recording 1m13.784s on mediums. Pierre Gasly split Audiâs drivers in eighth with a 1m13.911s lap on hards, ahead of Gabriel Bortoleto and Racing Bulls rookie Arvid Lindblad.
Red Bull endured a difficult session. Max Verstappen was 11th, while Liam Lawson, standing in for Isack Hadjar, finished 14th. Verstappen reported downshift and oversteer problems and ran off at the final corner.
Sprint qualifying follows on Friday afternoon.
Simone Scanu
Heâs a software engineer with a deep passion for Formula 1 and motorsport. He co-founded Formula Live Pulse to make live telemetry and race insights accessible, visual, and easy to follow.