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Welcome to Total-Motorsport.com for live coverage of Qualifying at the 2026 F1 Dutch GP, as the battle for pole position takes centre stage at Zandvoort following a dramatic Sprint earlier on Saturday. George Russell enters Qualifying as the driver to beat after a superb start to the weekend for Mercedes. Russell secured Sprint pole on Friday before leading every lap of Saturday’s race to claim victory ahead of Charles Leclerc and Lando Norris. Championship leader Kimi Antonelli finished fourth in the Sprint after starting fifth, while home favourite Max Verstappen crossed the line fifth for Red Bull Racing. Oscar Piastri was sixth for McLaren, with Lewis Hamilton seventh for Ferrari and Pierre Gasly taking the final Sprint point in eighth. Qualifying now resets the competitive picture, with the session determining the starting grid for Sunday’s 72-lap Dutch GP and offering Russell, Antonelli, Norris, Leclerc, Verstappen and Hamilton another opportunity to establish themselves at the front. F1 2026 Dutch GP Qualifying LIVE – Latest Updates BREAKING: Lando Norris takes pole position for the Dutch Grand Prix! Lando Norris is the man of the moment in the Netherlands as the defending Formula 1 world champion secures pole position for Sunday’s Dutch Grand Prix! More from the Dutch GP Catch up with Total Motorsport’s latest Dutch GP coverage, including Lando Norris’ pole position at Zandvoort, the full qualifying classification, Max Verstappen’s McLaren comments, Mercedes’ driver relationship outlook, and Norris’ demands for improvement. His 1:11.163 was good enough to shrug off the challenge of George Russell and Mercedes to take his second pole at Zandvoort in three seasons! Norris now has a golden chance to dictate the tempo of the Grand Prix and take his second win in successive weekends. Can he deliver? | Pos | Driver | Team | Time | |---|---|---|---| | 1 | Lando Norris | McLaren | 1:11.163 | | 2 | George Russell | Mercedes | +0.102 | | 3 | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | +0.133 | | 4 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | +0.142 | | 5 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | +0.331 | | 6 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | +0.395 | | 7 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | +0.455 | | 8 | Liam Lawson | Red Bull | +0.570 | | 9 | Gabriel Bortoleto | Audi | +0.916 | | 10 | Arvid Lindblad | Racing Bulls | +1.022 | 3 minutes to go: Norris defends provisional pole! Kimi Antonelli briefly gets ahead of Lando Norris’ previous time only for the defending Formula 1 world champion to immediately come roaring back! George Russell also pips his Mercedes teammate to move into second as Oscar Piastri slots into fourth with Red Bull’s Max Verstappen in third. The Ferraris are on their laps now! 5 minutes to go: Rain due as the final laps begin! Drivers are heading out for their final laps slightly earlier than usual and the reason is because rain is due at the Dutch Grand Prix any moment! Any notable waterfall will mean the slick tyres will not have the grip to improve and so everyone wants to get a lap in early as George Russell tries to overtake Lando Norris! Who will take pole? 8 minutes to go: Norris takes provisional pole! Lando Norris takes provisional pole for the Dutch Grand Prix as the defending Formula 1 world champion nudges ahead of George Russell by just over a tenth! Oscar Piastri slots into third for McLaren with Charles Leclerc in fourth for Ferrari and ahead of Kimi Antonelli’s Mercedes in the Netherlands today. Max Verstappen and Liam Lawson are sixth and seventh for Red Bull and Lewis Hamilton delivers a very disappointing lap in Zandvoort. GREEN FLAG: Who takes pole for the Dutch Grand Prix? The grid has been whittled down to just 10 remaining challengers for pole position at the Dutch Grand Prix with McLaren looking the favourites so far. Oscar Piastri topped Q1 before Lando Norris topped Q2 as the papaya cars look good in Zandvoort, but the chasing pack are not too far away! Can the likes of Mercedes, Ferrari or Red Bull shock the cards? Chequered Flag as Q2 ends in Zandvoort: Tsunoda and Gasly OUT Yuki Tsunoda’s positive weekend driving the Racing Bulls car comes to an earlier ending that he would have hoped as the Japanese star is eliminated in Q2. Pierre Gasly will also be disappointed as his upgraded package is just not quite enough to sneak through over Arvid Lindblad, as Gabriel Bortoleto also makes the cut for Audi. Out in Q2: Alex Albon, Esteban Ocon, Franco Colapinto, Nico Hulkenberg, Tsunoda and Gasly. | Pos | Driver | Team | Time | |---|---|---|---| | 1 | Lando Norris | McLaren | 1:11.628 | | 2 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | +0.013 | | 3 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | +0.246 | | 4 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | +0.282 | | 5 | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | +0.287 | | 6 | George Russell | Mercedes | +0.331 | | 7 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | +0.342 | | 8 | Liam Lawson | Red Bull | +0.673 | | 9 | Gabriel Bortoleto | Audi | +0.805 | | 10 | Arvid Lindblad | Racing Bulls | +0.897 | | 11 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine | OUT IN SQ2 | | 12 | Yuki Tsunoda | Racing Bulls | OUT IN SQ2 | | 13 | Nico Hulkenberg | Audi | OUT IN SQ2 | | 14 | Franco Colapinto | Alpine | OUT IN SQ2 | | 15 | Esteban Ocon | Haas | OUT IN SQ2 | | 16 | Alexander Albon | Williams | OUT IN SQ2 | 2 minutes to go: Verstappen up to third! Max Verstappen hauls his Red Bull out of trouble with a solid lap that moves the 28-year-old to third in the order, and 0.246 off-the-pace in Zandvoort. Liam Lawson follows through into eighth and behind his Red Bull teammate, clearing the Q3 cut by a comfortable margin in just his third competitive session in the RB22. But that’s only as things stand. Let’s see how the rest of the laps shape up! 5 minutes to go: Who is under pressure as Q2 bubbles to a crescendo Red Bull will need to make sure they deliver a good lap with Max Verstappen sitting in ninth and just ahead of Liam Lawson, the pair only 0.060 ahead of Pierre Gasly’s Alpine. The four-time Formula 1 world champion Verstappen is just beginning a lap now, so we will see what he is able to offer up with the Dutchman facing pressure in front of his home crowd. Under pressure are of a Q2 exit are: Gasly, Yuki Tsunoda, Franco Colapinto, Nico Hulkenebrg, Esteban Ocon and Alex Albon. 9 minutes to go: McLaren hold a 1-2 in Zandvoort! Oscar Piastri leads the timing boards for McLaren after delivering a 1:11.834 to head teammate Lando Norris by just 0.034 at Zandvoort. McLaren are looking good in the Netherlands with the MCL40 enjoying the fast corners, as they chase their second consecutive victory. Slotting into third is Charles Leclerc, ahead of Mercedes’ George Russell and Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton with Kimi Antonelli sitting in sixth. GREEN FLAG: The second part of Qualifying begins We have the green flag waved and Q2 in Qualifying at the Dutch Grand Prix can officially get underway at the Zandvoort circuit today. Can Alpine or Haas make it into Q3, or will Williams manage to sneak through in the form of Alex Albon after he out-qualified teammate Carlos Sainz? Find out here with Total-Motorsport.com! Chequered Flag: Spain out of Qualifying Fernando Alonso and Carlos Sainz are out of Qualifying for the Dutch Grand Prix for Aston Martin and Williams respectively. That ends Spain’s afternoon in this session, and the pair are joined by Sergio Perez, Valtteri Bottas, Oliver Bearman and Lance Stroll. Oscar Piastri topped the times for McLaren with a 1:12.610 ahead of Lewis Hamilton and Lando Norris. | Pos | Driver | Team | Time | |---|---|---|---| | 1 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | 1:12.610 | | 2 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | +0.063 | | 3 | Lando Norris | McLaren | +0.085 | | 4 | George Russell | Mercedes | +0.314 | | 5 | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | +0.412 | | 6 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | +0.454 | | 7 | Arvid Lindblad | Racing Bulls | +0.464 | | 8 | Yuki Tsunoda | Racing Bulls | +0.475 | | 9 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine | +0.505 | | 10 | Gabriel Bortoleto | Audi | +0.532 | | 11 | Nico Hulkenberg | Audi | +0.578 | | 12 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | +0.680 | | 13 | Franco Colapinto | Alpine | +0.712 | | 14 | Liam Lawson | Red Bull | +0.782 | | 15 | Esteban Ocon | Haas | +0.934 | | 16 | Alexander Albon | Williams | +0.942 | | Out in Q1 | Carlos Sainz | Williams | +0.964 | | Out in Q1 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | +1.040 | | Out in Q1 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin | +1.208 | | Out in Q1 | Oliver Bearman | Haas | +1.216 | | Out in Q1 | Valtteri Bottas | Cadillac | +1.761 | | Out in Q1 | Sergio Perez | Cadillac | +1.990 | 3 minutes to go: The final laps are due up! Lewis Hamilton is heading out early for his final lap just to make sure he has a largely empty track to avoid impeding incidents as he’s under slight pressure. Hamilton doesn’t need a huge lap, he just has to chip away to make sure he’s through. It will be a low risk effort, and Lando Norris is of the same persuasion as he adopts the same approach. Oscar Piastri currently leads the times with a 1:12.848 in Zandvoort for McLaren, ahead of George Russell and Norris in third. Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen have not left the pits. Those under pressure are: Lance Stroll, Sergio Perez, Valtteri Bottas, Esteban Ocon, Oliver Bearman and Gabriel Bortoleto in 17th. 5 minutes to go: Who is in trouble as the second laps conclude? Fernando Alonso delivers a pretty strong lap for Aston Martin to move into 12th as the teams take a break at the end of their second runs. Lance Stroll loses his lap time for track limits and he’s now under pressure, whilst Arvid Lindblad, Yuki Tsunoda and Nico Hulkenberg should all be safely into Q2. Replays show Lewis Hamilton had a big lock-up into Turn 1 and ran into the gravel at Zandvoort, although his time is looking pretty handy for a Q2 appearance anyway. Those under pressure are: Stroll, Sergio Perez, Valtteri Bottas, Esteban Ocon, Oliver Bearman and Gabriel Bortoleto in 17th. 9 minutes to go: Piastri leads Russell at the end of the first runs Oscar Piastri takes over at the top of the times for the defending constructors’ champions as McLaren’s Australian star posts a 1:12.848. He heads Mercedes’ George Russell by 0.091 with Lando Norris third and 0.212 off-the-pace of his McLaren teammate in Zandvoort. Kimi Antonelli moves into fourth, ahead of Lewis Hamilton, Liam Lawson, Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc in the Top 8, with Oliver Bearman and Esteban Ocon rounding out the Top 10. 11 minutes to go: Here come the first runs from the main teams Lewis Hamilton posts a 1:13.406 to head Liam Lawson, Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc as the first runs from the big hitters begin to arrive. We’re still awaiting laps from McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris, and Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli and George Russell, however. Let’s see what Mercedes power can do. 14 minutes to go: Slower cars begin their runs Oliver Bearman abandons his lap as he comes into the pit lane after potentially encountering traffic in the final corner for Haas, as does Alpine’s Pierre Gasly. Yuki Tsunoda goes to the top of the times with a 1:14.287 for Racing Bulls ahead of Liam Lawson as the midfield pack begin to deliver their first flying laps. Expect the big hitters to start their laps soon! GREEN FLAG: Qualifying for the Dutch Grand Prix begins! We have cars exiting the pit lane and heading out onto the Zandvoort circuit as qualifying for the 2026 Dutch Grand Prix begins! Drivers have 18 minutes to deliver their best lap times and the slowest six drivers will be eliminated from the session in Q1. Remember, Liam Lawson is driving for Red Bull and Yuki Tsunoda is driving for Racing Bulls after Isack Hadjar’s injury. Can we expect a more competitive Hamilton and Verstappen? The break between the Sprint and Qualifying gives Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen an important opportunity to improve their cars. Once the Sprint is finished, the parc ferme restrictions are relaxed, allowing teams to make meaningful setup changes before Grand Prix Qualifying. For Hamilton, that could be particularly valuable as Ferrari can use the information gathered during the race to adjust the car’s balance and aerodynamic setup, potentially producing a more competitive package for Qualifying. Verstappen has a similar opportunity with Red Bull. He started the Sprint sixth after struggling for balance in Friday’s practice, so the team now has actual race data to identify where the car is losing performance. Changes to areas such as ride height, suspension settings and aerodynamic balance could help him extract more pace at his home race. How can the wind and rain affect qualifying today? The weather could still have an influence on qualifying at Zandvoort as rain arrived suddenly towards the end of the Sprint, reminding teams how quickly conditions can change. Any unexpected shower before or during Qualifying could alter track grip and force teams to react quickly with tyre choices and preparation. Wind could be just as important. A headwind down a straight can reduce top speed, while a tailwind can make the car faster but potentially more difficult to control when braking. Changes in wind direction can also affect the aerodynamic balance through the corners, particularly around Zandvoort’s faster sections. Drivers need the car to be stable through the corners while still retaining enough straight-line performance, and even a small change in wind strength or direction can upset that compromise. So the elements could make the final qualifying runs particularly difficult to predict. Who is favourite for pole position at the Dutch GP? Kimi Antonelli should be considered the slight favourite for pole at the Dutch GP, despite starting only fifth in the Sprint after his Friday result was compromised by damage to his Mercedes. The damage is believed to have caused a loss of around 25 points of downforce worth around three tenths of a second meaning his qualifying position did not necessarily represent his true pace. Antonelli was 0.227 away from George Russell’s Sprint Pole time, indicating he will be right up there in Qualifying for the Dutch Grand Prix shortly as Mercedes look very competitive. Russell had edged out Lando Norris by just 0.041 seconds, with Charles Leclerc and Oscar Piastri also extremely close behind, meaning the fight for pole incredibly difficult to predict as Mercedes, McLaren and Ferrari appear closely matched. How does Qualifying work in Formula 1? Qualifying determines the starting order for the Grand Prix, with drivers competing against the clock to set the fastest lap and drivers can complete multiple laps during each session. Teams choosing when to send their cars onto the circuit and which tyres to use and at Zandvoort that may prove vital. Qualifying is particularly important because the circuit is narrow and overtaking can be difficult. A strong qualifying result can therefore give drivers a significant advantage heading into Sunday’s Dutch GP. Here’s how Qualifying works: - Q1: All 22 drivers have 18 minutes to set their fastest lap. The slowest five are eliminated and will start Sunday’s race from positions 16-20. - Q2: The remaining 16 drivers have 15 minutes to set another fastest lap. The five slowest are eliminated and take positions 11-15 on the grid. - Q3: The final 10 drivers have 13 minutes to fight for pole position. The driver with the fastest lap starts the Grand Prix from first place, while the remaining drivers fill positions two to 10. Welcome to the Blog! George Russell is the man of the moment after winning the Sprint Race at the Dutch Grand Prix for Mercedes, after securing Sprint Pole on the Friday. The Brit admitted he had things under control in Zandvoort as he managed the gap to Charles Leclerc and his Ferrari and Lando Norris’ McLaren, but he also warns Ferrari looked good on the soft compound of tyre – showing a competitive hand. The question now becomes: can the Scuderia deny the Siler Arrows pole in qualifying? Find out here with Total-Motorsport.com. Russell carries momentum into Dutch GP Qualifying Few drivers could have asked for a stronger opening to the weekend than Russell. The Mercedes driver produced a 1:11.567 in Sprint Qualifying on Friday to beat Norris by just 0.041 seconds. Leclerc was only 0.055 seconds away in third, illustrating how closely matched the leading teams were over one lap. Piastri qualified fourth ahead of Antonelli, while Verstappen could manage only sixth at his home circuit. Hamilton followed in seventh, more than six tenths away from Russell’s benchmark. Saturday’s Sprint then reinforced Russell’s position at the front. He made a clean getaway from pole and controlled the race despite pressure from behind, eventually winning by 1.360 seconds. Conditions became more difficult when rain arrived late in the Sprint, but Russell maintained control and secured his third Sprint victory of the season. The result also moved him closer to second place in the Drivers’ Championship. Antonelli now leads with 224 points, while Hamilton sits on 171 and Russell has climbed to 168. Qualifying provides Russell with an opportunity to continue that momentum and secure the most important pole of the weekend. Track position has traditionally been crucial at Zandvoort, where overtaking is difficult and every Grand Prix winner since Formula 1 returned to the circuit in 2021 has started from pole. Leclerc impresses as Ferrari challenge strengthens Leclerc emerged as Russell’s closest challenger during the second half of the Sprint after starting third. The Ferrari driver moved past Norris on Lap 18 to claim second and stayed within striking distance of the leading Mercedes before eventually finishing 1.360 seconds behind. His performance continued an encouraging Dutch GP weekend for Ferrari. Leclerc had already demonstrated strong one-lap pace during Sprint Qualifying, missing pole by only 0.055 seconds. That tiny deficit suggests Ferrari have the potential to challenge Mercedes again when Grand Prix Qualifying begins. Zandvoort’s narrow layout rewards commitment and precise front-end response, particularly through the heavily banked corners and fast changes of direction. Leclerc’s confidence in those areas could make him one of the strongest candidates for pole. Hamilton, meanwhile, has more work to do. The seven-time world champion qualified seventh for the Sprint and finished in the same position after struggling to make meaningful progress through the traffic ahead. He remains Antonelli’s closest championship challenger, but Saturday’s Sprint increased the gap from 50 to 53 points. A strong qualifying performance would therefore be particularly valuable for Hamilton, both for his Dutch GP victory chances and his attempt to prevent Antonelli from building an increasingly comfortable championship advantage. Norris looks for response after losing second in Sprint Norris began Saturday’s Sprint alongside Russell on the front row and initially appeared capable of challenging the Mercedes driver. However, the reigning world champion couldn’t maintain the same pace across the race and eventually lost second place to Leclerc. Third still represented another useful result for McLaren, particularly after Norris won the Hungarian GP immediately before the summer break, but the team will want more from Qualifying. Norris had been only 0.041 seconds away from Sprint pole, leaving little to separate the McLaren and Mercedes over one lap. That makes him an obvious contender for Dutch GP pole. The bigger question is whether McLaren can translate its qualifying speed into stronger race pace if conditions remain dry on Sunday. Norris admitted after the Sprint that he lacked the speed required to remain with Russell, despite initially settling into second. Piastri also enters Qualifying looking for improvement. The Australian started fourth in the Sprint but slipped to sixth behind Antonelli and Verstappen, limiting McLaren’s points return. Both drivers now have another opportunity to reset their weekends before Sunday’s Grand Prix. Antonelli extends championship lead despite missing Sprint podium Antonelli couldn’t match teammate Russell during Sprint Qualifying, but his fourth-place finish on Saturday still strengthened his position at the top of the Drivers’ Championship. The Italian started fifth after damaging the floor of his Mercedes during an excursion through the gravel in SQ1. Despite that setback, he progressed into SQ3 and remained within 0.227 seconds of Russell’s pole time. The Sprint offered a chance to recover, and Antonelli moved into fourth ahead of Piastri. With Hamilton only seventh, the result increased Antonelli’s championship advantage to 53 points. Qualifying now presents another significant opportunity. Antonelli topped the sole practice session on Friday before his more difficult Sprint Qualifying, demonstrating that outright pace isn’t a major concern. If he can avoid the mistakes that compromised Friday afternoon, a front-row start remains realistic. The intra-team contest will also be fascinating. Russell has been the quicker Mercedes driver throughout the competitive sessions so far, and another pole would continue a significant resurgence for the British driver after a frustrating opening half of the season. Verstappen searches for more at his final home Dutch GP The enormous Zandvoort crowd will again focus much of its attention on Verstappen, but Red Bull Racing have yet to show the speed required to challenge consistently at the front. Verstappen struggled with oversteer during FP1 and finished only 11th before recovering to sixth in Sprint Qualifying. He gained one place during the Sprint to finish fifth, but remained behind both Mercedes cars, Leclerc and Norris. Qualifying is therefore particularly important for Verstappen. This is expected to be the final Dutch GP at Zandvoort for the foreseeable future, and the four-time world champion will be desperate to give his home supporters another memorable result. A victory on Sunday would also move Verstappen level with Jim Clark on four Dutch GP wins. However, starting near the front is likely to be essential. The circuit’s narrow layout and limited overtaking opportunities make recovery drives particularly challenging, while the Sprint demonstrated how difficult it can be to make sustained progress through the leading group. Liam Lawson also continues his temporary return to Red Bull after replacing the injured Isack Hadjar. Lawson started the Sprint from 11th and will be aiming to improve during Grand Prix Qualifying after gaining valuable mileage in a car he had little time to prepare for before the weekend. Weather and wind could influence Dutch GP Qualifying The Sprint began in largely dry conditions before rain arrived late in the race, adding another reminder of how quickly the weather can change around Zandvoort. Its position next to the North Sea makes the circuit particularly susceptible to wind, passing showers and rapidly changing grip levels. Even if Qualifying remains dry, changing wind direction can have a major impact on car balance. Drivers are particularly exposed through Zandvoort’s faster corners, where sudden gusts can alter the aerodynamic balance just as they commit to the apex. Track evolution could also play an important role. The circuit should continue gaining grip as more rubber is laid down, making the timing of the final runs in Q1, Q2 and Q3 potentially decisive. Waiting until the final moments provides the best track conditions but increases exposure to yellow flags, red flags or traffic. With the gaps already extremely small, any disruption could dramatically change the order. Traffic and tyre preparation crucial at Zandvoort Qualifying around Zandvoort presents one of the most demanding traffic-management challenges of the season. The 4.259km circuit is short, narrow and provides limited opportunities for drivers to move aside without compromising somebody else’s flying lap. Q1 should therefore be particularly congested. Drivers need to build sufficient tyre temperature on their preparation laps while simultaneously creating enough space to begin a clean flying lap. Going too slowly creates traffic problems, while pushing too hard before the timed lap can overheat the tyres. Those challenges become even more important when the competitive gaps are measured in hundredths of a second. Sprint Qualifying demonstrated exactly how tight the leading battle can be, with Russell, Norris and Leclerc separated by only 0.055 seconds. A minor error through one corner could therefore make the difference between pole position and the second row. What to watch in Dutch GP Qualifying - Whether Russell can follow Sprint pole and victory with Grand Prix pole - Antonelli’s response after finishing fourth in the Sprint - Leclerc’s challenge after taking second on Saturday - Whether Norris can reverse the order after losing second to Leclerc - Piastri’s attempt to recover from sixth in the Sprint - Hamilton’s bid to close the gap to Antonelli - Whether Verstappen can find more pace for Red Bull - Lawson’s progress during his temporary return to Red Bull - The possibility of changing weather conditions - Wind affecting cars through the faster sections - Soft tyre preparation before flying laps - Traffic management during Q1 - Track evolution throughout the session - Yellow or red flags affecting final attempts - The extremely small margins between Mercedes, McLaren and Ferrari With Russell carrying the momentum from Sprint pole and victory, Leclerc emerging as a serious challenger, Norris looking for a response and championship leader Antonelli aiming to reassert himself, the fight for pole at the 2026 Dutch GP appears wide open. Verstappen will also be determined to drag Red Bull Racing into contention in front of his home crowd, while Hamilton needs a strong result to prevent Antonelli from strengthening his championship position further. Stay with Total-Motorsport.com for live lap times, Q1, Q2 and Q3 eliminations, pole position updates, driver reactions and all the key moments from Qualifying at the 2026 F1 Dutch GP.