The big picture
The 2025 Dutch Grand Prix qualifying saw McLaren secure the front row, but drama unfolded across the Zandvoort grid with notable winners and losers. The session highlighted the unpredictable nature of F1 and the crucial impact of even minor errors.
Winners
- Oscar Piastri (Pole Position): Piastri clinched pole, consistently improving to outpace teammate Lando Norris in Q3. His ability to chip away at deficits and deliver under pressure, especially at a track previously dominated by Norris, underscores his growing championship contention.
- Isack Hadjar (4th): Finishing fourth, Hadjar delivered another strong performance. This result puts him firmly in the spotlight, especially with the ongoing discussions around a potential Red Bull 2026 seat, contrasting sharply with Yuki Tsunoda's baffled 12th.
- Max Verstappen (3rd): "Best of the rest" might not be what the home crowd desires, but P3 is a strong result for Verstappen given McLaren's current strength and Red Bull's recent struggles in Hungary. His exceptional middle sector hints at the potential for a race-day improvisation.
- Kimi Antonelli (11th): Despite a Q2 exit, Antonelli impressed by being within two tenths of George Russell in both Q1 and Q2. His emphatic recovery from an early FP1 mistake demonstrates significant speed and resilience, belying his final grid position.
Losers
- Lance Stroll (20th): Stroll's weekend took a dive after clipping the grass and crashing into barriers at Kumho corner in Q1. His "frustrating" misjudgment leaves him at the back, contrasting with Fernando Alonso's P10, and jeopardizing any hopes for points.
- Alex Albon (15th): Albon's qualifying was compromised by an "out-lap sensitive" Williams and a slow out-lap due to pit exit traffic. This left his tires unprepared, resulting in an uncompetitive lap and a frustrated 15th place, a stark contrast to his teammate's P9.
- Nico Hulkenberg (17th): Hulkenberg failed to make Q2, struggling to find pace in Turns 3 and 13. This marks his fifth consecutive head-to-head qualifying defeat against Gabriel Bortoleto, indicating a worrying trend for the seasoned driver.
- Haas (18th and 19th): Both Ollie Bearman and Esteban Ocon struggled significantly with the C5 soft tire performance, failing to extract peak pace. This collective issue leaves Haas's drivers near the back of the grid, facing a challenging race.
What's next
The qualifying results set the stage for a thrilling Dutch Grand Prix, with McLaren's internal battle at the front and several drivers needing significant comebacks to score points.
