Dutch Grand Prix practice Results Recap: Kimi Antonelli Sets the Pace as Hamilton and Verstappen Struggle in Dutch GP Practice

Kimi Antonelli Sets the Pace as Hamilton and Verstappen Struggle in Dutch GP Practice

The Dutch Grand Prix weekend got underway at Zandvoort on Friday with Kimi Antonelli immediately showing that Mercedes remains a force to watch after the summer break.

The opening and only practice session was affected by a slightly damp circuit early on, prompting a few drivers to briefly try intermediate tyres. However, conditions improved quickly, and most of the field switched to slick tyres as the track became suitable for dry-weather running.

Antonelli ultimately produced the fastest lap of the session, stopping the clock at 1:12.949. The young Mercedes driver finished just 0.121 seconds ahead of McLaren’s Lando Norris, while Mercedes team-mate George Russell was only 0.125 seconds off the pace.

Ferrari showed reasonable speed, with Charles Leclerc taking fourth and Lewis Hamilton ending the session fifth. Hamilton was 0.289 seconds away from Antonelli’s benchmark, giving Ferrari plenty to consider before the more important sessions later in the weekend.

The biggest surprise, however, came from home favourite Max Verstappen.

With the Dutch Grand Prix expected to provide a major occasion for the Red Bull driver, Verstappen endured an unusually quiet opening session. He could manage only 11th on the timing sheets, finishing 1.376 seconds behind Antonelli.

There was, however, an important qualification to Verstappen’s result. The Red Bull driver did not complete a representative final run on his last set of tyres, meaning his position may not provide a complete picture of his actual pace.

Oscar Piastri completed the top six for McLaren, while Nico Hulkenberg and Pierre Gasly followed in seventh and eighth respectively. Gabriel Bortoleto and Racing Bulls’ Arvid Lindblad rounded out the top ten.

Liam Lawson, meanwhile, finished 14th during his temporary move to Red Bull, while Yuki Tsunoda placed 17th after returning to Racing Bulls.

For Hamilton, the fifth-place finish represents a solid but unspectacular beginning to the weekend. Ferrari’s recent upgrades will now face a more serious test as the competitive sessions begin, with the team hoping to close the gap to Mercedes in both championships.

The focus now turns to sprint qualifying, where the drivers will have a much clearer indication of the competitive order at Zandvoort.

Antonelli’s early advantage has given Mercedes an encouraging start, but Verstappen’s disappointing-looking position could quickly change once the Red Bull driver gets a cleaner run.