2026 F1 Dutch Gp:Lewis Hamilton Beaten as Max Verstappen Struggles at… see details

  Lewis Hamilton Beaten as Max Verstappen Struggles at… see details

Lewis Hamilton endured a difficult start to the Dutch Grand Prix weekend as Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli topped the only practice session at Zandvoort on Friday. Meanwhile, Max Verstappen’s final home race weekend in Formula 1 got off to a disappointing start, with the reigning star finishing well down the order.

The opening practice session was affected by damp conditions, with parts of the track still wet when the drivers first headed out. Several drivers briefly tested intermediate tyres before quickly returning to slick compounds after determining that the circuit was not wet enough to require wet-weather rubber.

Once conditions improved, Antonelli showed impressive pace and emerged as the fastest driver of the session. The Mercedes youngster posted a 1:12.949, finishing just 0.121 seconds ahead of McLaren’s Lando Norris.

Antonelli’s Mercedes team-mate George Russell was also close to the top, ending the session third and just 0.125 seconds behind his team-mate. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc claimed fourth place, while Hamilton finished fifth overall, 0.289 seconds away from Antonelli’s benchmark.

The result gives Mercedes an encouraging start to the Dutch Grand Prix weekend, particularly after Antonelli’s strong performances before the summer break. The Italian driver once again appeared comfortable at the Zandvoort circuit and immediately reminded his rivals that he remains one of the drivers to watch.

McLaren also showed promising pace, with Norris second and Oscar Piastri sixth. However, Piastri was more than half a second behind Antonelli, suggesting that the competitive order could remain tight when qualifying arrives.

Verstappen, meanwhile, endured a frustrating session in front of his home supporters. The Red Bull driver could manage only 11th place, finishing 1.376 seconds off the pace. However, his final position may not tell the full story, as Verstappen did not complete a representative lap on his final set of tyres.

With this being Verstappen’s final Dutch Grand Prix, expectations were high for a strong opening performance. Instead, the Red Bull driver found himself behind several midfield and leading competitors. There will therefore be plenty of interest in whether Red Bull can find more performance before qualifying.

Liam Lawson, who has temporarily stepped into the Red Bull seat, also struggled. The New Zealander had a major moment during his qualifying simulation, leaving him 14th fastest. Yuki Tsunoda, who has been replaced by Lawson at Red Bull, finished 17th for Racing Bulls.

Nico Hulkenberg impressed by taking seventh for Audi, while Pierre Gasly was eighth for Alpine. Gabriel Bortoleto completed the top nine, with Racing Bulls rookie Arvid Lindblad rounding out the top 10.

Fernando Alonso was 12th, followed by Franco Colapinto in 13th and Haas pair Oliver Bearman and Esteban Ocon in 15th and 16th respectively. Lance Stroll finished 18th, while Alex Albon was 19th.

At the bottom of the order, Cadillac’s Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez were 20th and 21st, with Williams driver Carlos Sainz listed 22nd.

With only one practice session available at Zandvoort, teams now have limited time to make adjustments. Mercedes will be encouraged by Antonelli’s pace, while Hamilton, Verstappen and the rest of the field will be looking for significant improvements ahead of qualifying.