Kimi Antonelli Tops Zandvoort Practice as F1 Returns From Summer Break

Kimi Antonelli laid down the gauntlet at Zandvoort by going fastest in the sole Dutch Grand Prix practice session, posting a 1:12.949 as Formula 1 returned from its summer break. He edged out Lando Norris by over a tenth and a half, while Lewis Hamilton put Ferrari third despite a trip through the gravel.

Why it matters:

With just one hour of running before sprint qualifying, teams had limited time to dial in setups around the tight Zandvoort circuit. Antonelli's pace suggests he has hit the ground running in the second half of the 2026 season, while the session also offered a first look at F1's temporary post-break driver changes.

The details:

• Antonelli's 1:12.949 led the field from Norris, with Hamilton third ahead of late-improver Charles Leclerc in fourth and George Russell in fifth.
• Hamilton was among several drivers to run through the gravel, though he still finished inside the top three.
• Driver Shuffles: Liam Lawson joined Red Bull to cover for the injured Isack Hadjar, while Yuki Tsunoda returned from the sidelines at Racing Bulls. Neither broke into the top ten, joining home favorite Max Verstappen outside the leading group.
• Oscar Piastri was sixth for McLaren, while Audi impressed as Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto placed seventh and ninth on medium tires. Pierre Gasly split them in eighth as the sole Alpine running the new upgrade package. Rookie Arvid Lindblad completed the top ten.

What's next:

Attention now shifts to sprint qualifying at 16:30 local time, forcing rapid setup calls based on limited running. With overtaking at a premium around the narrow Dutch circuit, expect a fierce fight for track position as the grid battles to secure a clean line into Turn 1.