Antonelli leads Norris in Dutch GP practice ahead of Sprint Qualifying

Championship leader Kimi Antonelli set the fastest time in the sole practice session at the Dutch Grand Prix, outpacing Lando Norris as Formula 1 resumed after its summer break.

Antonelli, holding a 50-point lead over Lewis Hamilton in the Drivers' Championship, demonstrated strong pace throughout the session, finishing 0.121 seconds ahead of Norris. This performance positions Antonelli as a strong favorite for the upcoming Sprint Qualifying later on Friday.

McLaren has introduced upgrades to the rear of their car, complementing the package that secured Norris a victory in Hungary. The team appears poised to compete at the front alongside Mercedes and Ferrari.

Despite finishing fourth and fifth respectively, Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc showed promising pace with Ferrari's new floor at Zandvoort, with both drivers within three-tenths of Antonelli's best lap. Notably, they set their fastest times earlier on a potentially slower track.

George Russell secured third place, just 0.125 seconds behind Antonelli, as he aims to reignite his championship challenge following a less successful period before the summer break.

Karun Chandhok of Sky Sports F1 highlighted the challenging conditions, noting the wind's impact. He also observed the close competition at the top, with all drivers within three-tenths of a second, indicating a strong continuation of performance from Budapest after the summer break. He also suggested that Red Bulls had not yet shown their full potential.

Oscar Piastri finished sixth, trailing his McLaren teammate Norris by six-tenths, while Max Verstappen, who recently extended his Red Bull contract, could only manage 11th place.

Verstappen appeared to struggle with his car's balance, suggesting a potentially difficult home race, especially as the Dutch Grand Prix's contract extends beyond this year.

Liam Lawson replaced Isack Hadjar at Red Bull due to a wrist injury, finishing 14th. Yuki Tsunoda, who has taken over Lawson's seat at Racing Bulls, was 17th.

Pierre Gasly ran a significant upgrade package on his Alpine, finishing eighth, sandwiching Audi's Nico Hulkenberg in seventh and Gabriel Bortoleto in ninth.

Aston Martin brought engine and aerodynamic upgrades to Zandvoort, resulting in Fernando Alonso finishing 12th and 1.5 seconds off the pace, the closest they have been this season. The team hopes to convert this improved performance into Sprint Qualifying.

Dutch GP Practice Timesheet

Driver	Team	Time
1) Kimi Antonelli	Mercedes	1:12.949
2) Lando Norris	McLaren	+0.121
3) George Russell	Mercedes	+0.125
4) Lewis Hamilton	Ferrari	+0.190
5) Charles Leclerc	Ferrari	+0.289
6) Oscar Piastri	McLaren	+0.659
7) Nico Hulkenberg	Audi	+0.835
8) Pierre Gasly	Alpine	+0.962
9) Gabriel Bortoleto	Audi	+1.043
10) Arvid Lindblad	Racing Bulls	+1.336
11) Max Verstappen	Red Bull	+1.376
12) Fernando Alonso	Aston Martin	+1.562
13) Franco Colapinto	Alpine	+1.877
14) Liam Lawson	Red Bull	+1.912
15) Oliver Bearman	Haas	+1.925
16) Esteban Ocon	Haas	+1.948
17) Yuki Tsunoda	Racing Bulls	+2.161
18) Lance Stroll	Aston Martin	+2.250
19) Alex Albon	Williams	+2.408
20) Valtteri Bottas	Cadillac	+2.631
21) Sergio Perez	Cadillac	+2.751
22) Carlos Sainz	Williams	+3.396

Schedule:

Friday August 21
1:45 PM: Team Principals' Press Conference
3:00 PM: Dutch GP Sprint Qualifying (session starts at 3:30 PM)

Saturday August 22
8:15 AM: F1 Academy Qualifying
10:00 AM: Dutch GP Sprint build-up
11:00 AM: DUTCH GP SPRINT*
1:30 PM: F1 Academy Race 1
2:20 PM: Dutch GP Qualifying build-up*
3:00 PM: DUTCH GP QUALIFYING*
5:00 PM: Porsche Supercup Race 1

Sunday August 23
9:35 AM: F1 Academy Race 2
10:50 AM: Porsche Supercup Race 2
12:30 PM: Grand Prix Sunday: Dutch GP build-up
2:00 PM: THE DUTCH GRAND PRIX
4:00 PM: Chequered Flag: Dutch GP reaction

*Also available on Sky Sports Main Event.