F1 Dutch GP live commentary and updates - Qualifying
Follow along for live updates of qualifying from the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort
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Piastri: "The definition of peaking at the right time."
That's it then, Piastri is on pole for the Dutch Grand Prix in a McLaren 1-2.
Verstappen completes the top three, while rookie Hadjar put in a great lap to join the world champion on the second row for Racing Bulls.
Russell and Leclerc are on the third row, Hamilton and Lawson on the fourth, while Sainz and Alonso rounded up the top 10.
Barring any surprises, it will be Piastri on pole at Zandvoort.
That's a big blow for Norris, who has missed out on pole despite his dominance of the weekend until Q3!
A poor first sector put him on the backfoot straight away and despite a purple middle, Norris still failed to improve on his previous lap leaving him 0.012s off Piastri, who also didn't improve.
Now it is crunch time with drivers completing their final outlaps of the session.
Drivers are now all in their respective garages ahead of the final runs of Q3.
As expected, Verstappen goes third behind both McLarens to carry on what has largely been the theme of F1 2025.
Verstappen now starts his lap with eight minutes remaining after every other driver had completed theirs.
Piastri takes provisional pole over Norris! It initially looked like a snap of oversteer in the middle sector would cost the championship leader, but a poor S3 from Norris leaves the Briton just 0.012s behind.
All drivers but Verstappen have left their garage straight away. Interesting strategy from Red Bull.
Here we are for the final quali session. Which McLaren driver will claim pole? Or, like Hungary, will there be a big shock and somebody else gets it?
Those out in Q2:
11) Antonelli
12) Tsunoda
13) Bortoleto
14) Gasly
15) Albon
At the top, Norris led a McLaren 1-2.
Wow, a couple of big eliminations in this session with Antonelli and Tsunoda both out in Q2!
Tsunoda is in trouble, as the driver in ninth fails to improve upon his laptime. He is within a tenth of the dropzone.
There's a big queue at the end of the pitlane with drivers now coming out for their final lap of Q2.
What's most important in this session though is who is at the bottom, and the dropzone with six minutes left is:
11) Alonso
12) Lawson
13) Sainz
14) Bortoleto
15) Gasly
Norris is rapid this weekend and the McLaren driver has just set a new lap record at Zandvoort with a 1m08.874s.
Russell is the first driver to go below 1m10s in this session, as the Mercedes driver sets a 1m09.936s.
However, Verstappen (1m09.122s) and Antonelli (1m09.601s) quickly beat that time.
Interesting spot from Leclerc, who reported a "fox, entry at Turn 10".
Q2 is go!
That's the end of Q1 and no real shocks this time around:
16) Colapinto
17) Hulkenberg
18) Ocon
19) Bearman
20) Stroll
Piastri, meanwhile, topped the session in a McLaren 1-2.
Ferrari and Tsunoda can breathe a sigh of relief as they get themselves away from the dropzone in the final minute of Q1.
Hamilton is ninth, Leclerc 10th and Tsunoda 12th.
It is not just the drivers at risk of elimination who have left their garage, as Piastri has gone top with a 1m09.338s - 0.131s quicker than Norris.
We now have cars coming back out for their final laps of Q1 with three minutes left in the session.
Looks like that is Stroll's session done as he is now out of his Aston Martin. This follows his crash at Turn 4, before he even set a laptime in qualifying.
Just six minutes remain and the current dropzone is:
16) Bortoleto
17) Tsunoda
18) Colapinto
19) Ocon
20) Stroll
Albon is in trouble sitting 15th, while it's not been an easy session for Ferrari thus far with Hamilton in 11th and Leclerc 14th.
And here comes the McLarens: Norris goes top with a 1m09.469, 0.158s quicker than second-placed Piastri.
It goes without saying that every car is on the soft rubber in dry conditions.
Meanwhile, only nine drivers have set a laptime with 10 minutes left in Q1. Verstappen leads with a 1m09.754s, which is 0.470s quicker than Hamilton in second.
"That's done i guess," said Stroll, after his incident. He's back in his garage with mechanics working rapidly on the repair job. It's a race against time now to get him out before the end of Q1.
Friday was very stop-start with many drivers going off in both practice sessions, one of whom was Lance Stroll with the Aston Martin driver causing a red flag in FP2.
He's gone off again in qualifying, having spun into the barrier at Turn 4. Stroll got going again though, so it was only a brief yellow flag.
The overnight thunderstorm very much seems to have passed with hot, dry conditions for qualifying.
Qualifying for the Dutch Grand Prix is go!
Hello everybody, and welcome to the live commentary of qualifying for the Dutch Grand Prix. The first qualifying session since the annual summer break.
By: Ed Hardy
