Skip to main content

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Autosport Plus

Discover premium content
Subscribe
Dutch GP

2026 Formula 1 Dutch GP

Netherlands
Aug 20, 2026 to Aug 23, 2026
Zandvoort, NL

F1 Dutch GP live commentary and updates - sprint race

Live Standings

Summary

Live Text

Hamilton is back in Verstappen's wake and sits within a second of the Red Bull - who has dropped out of the overtake window from Piastri.

 

 

Leclerc continues to sit in Norris' wake, but the overtake mode isn't very potent here as the start-finish straight is very small. 

No real strategic options in a sprint, so there's not really a lot you can do. 

Norris closes the gap to Russell by about 0.2s, but Leclerc is really close to the McLaren.

Verstappen has cut the gap to Piastri and now sits within a second - so evidently, the Red Bull driver was taking it easy in the opening laps to bring the tyres in.

Russell had 1.6s over Norris at the start of the lap, which condenses in the middle of the circuit, but the gap is restored in the final sector. Leclerc is half a second behind Norris. 

Difficult to pass here, though; you need about a second per lap's advantage to get anything going. 

Norris has a little wobble in Turn 1 and that gives Leclerc an opportunity to close in. "I've got no rear," Norris reports, and this might present Leclerc with some hope. 

Leclerc has a little moment, but Antonelli isn't quite able to capitalise.

Russell is given the opportunity to push a bit harder, as Mercedes is happy with his management.

Verstappen's picked up the pace, pulling a 2s gap over Hamilton and getting within 2s of Piastri - who has dropped away from this front four. 

Lawson's closing in on Lindblad now, having shaken off Colapinto, who has Tsunoda for company.

Norris is just about clinging onto Russell, but every time he hits the 0.7-0.8s buffer his efforts are repulsed. Leclerc might be worried about his soft tyres, particularly with pressure from Antonelli.

Hamilton is bordering on a half-second gap to Verstappen, who has dropped to over 2.5s off Piastri now.

Hulkenberg retires his Audi, so that's game over. 

0.8s between Russell and Norris out front, and the same gap between Leclerc and Norris. Antonelli's getting close to Leclerc, within 0.7s.

Hamilton is starting to put a bit of pressure on Verstappen, as Norris is trying to close Russell down. Leclerc and Antonelli are keeping in touch. 

Gasly can't shake off Bortoleto just yet as they duel for the final point on offer. 

Hulkenberg seems to have an issue, as Bottas and Alonso ease past the Audi driver.

Norris briefly got within a second of Russell, but the Mercedes driver is holding firm at the front of the field.

Russell clears a one-second gap already over Norris, with Leclerc - on softs - attempting to stay in touch. 

Gasly has Bortoleto for company.

Colapinto had a look at Lawson, who will need to start putting pressure on Lindblad soon. 

Time to go! Good start from the front two, allowing Russell to hold position! Piastri loses a spot to Antonelli, with Verstappen chasing. 

Norris has Leclerc all over him in these opening corners, but manages to break the gap a little bit in sector two. 

Lawson is on Lindblad's tail. 

Russell eases into his grid position. Can he hold the lead into Turn 1, or can Norris get a clean start? Let's find out...

Perez is getting wheeled back into the pitlane, so there's something awry there. Pit lane start beckons if he can get the car going. 

The formation lap begins - Russell gets rolling, followed by Norris...and Leclerc eventually gets moving after a little wait. 

Just a couple of minutes until the formation lap now - and then we'll have 24 more to decide the victor of this sprint. 

It was very close in qualifying between Mercedes, McLaren, and Ferrari - the top four were all within 0.1s and - if the race pace can carry over - it might be a tightly fought sprint. 

Elsewhere: can Liam Lawson bag his first points for Red Bull? He looked quick in SQ1, but had an issue on his opening SQ2 lap and didn't get the best out of the tyres. Yuki Tsunoda is just behind him on the grid, and aiming to get points first-time back. 

A couple of bits have appeared in the race control inbox already - Hamilton and Bottas will be looked at after the sprint for "failing to follow race directors' instructions" while Bortoleto has been pinged for an apparent unsafe release on leaving the pit lane. 

Weather check

Our man Fil Cleeren says there's a few light drops of rain on the grid, but not very much at all.

It's quite cool out there too: 17C ambient, 24C track. 

 

 

Sprint grid

All Stats
 
Cla Driver # Chassis Engine Time Tyres km/h
1 United Kingdom G. Russell Mercedes 63 Mercedes Mercedes

1'11.567

  214.238
2 United Kingdom L. Norris McLaren 1 McLaren Mercedes

+0.041

1'11.608

  214.115
3 Monaco C. Leclerc Ferrari 16 Ferrari Ferrari

+0.055

1'11.622

  214.073
4 Australia O. Piastri McLaren 81 McLaren Mercedes

+0.099

1'11.666

  213.942
5 Italy A. Antonelli Mercedes 12 Mercedes Mercedes

+0.227

1'11.794

  213.561
6 Netherlands M. Verstappen Red Bull Racing 3 Red Bull Red Bull

+0.527

1'12.094

  212.672
7 United Kingdom L. Hamilton Ferrari 44 Ferrari Ferrari

+0.624

1'12.191

  212.386
8 France P. Gasly Alpine 10 Alpine Mercedes

+1.011

1'12.578

  211.254
9 Brazil G. Bortoleto Audi 5 Audi Audi

+1.016

1'12.583

  211.239
10 United Kingdom A. Lindblad Racing Bulls 41 RB Red Bull

+1.170

1'12.737

  210.792
11 New Zealand L. Lawson Red Bull Racing 30 Red Bull Red Bull

+1.569

1'13.136

  209.642
12 Japan Y. Tsunoda Racing Bulls 22 RB Red Bull

+1.578

1'13.145

  209.616
13 Argentina F. Colapinto Alpine 43 Alpine Mercedes

+1.872

1'13.439

  208.777
14 Germany N. Hulkenberg Audi 27 Audi Audi

+2.049

1'13.616

  208.275
15 France E. Ocon Haas F1 Team 31 Haas Ferrari

+2.326

1'13.893

  207.494
16 Thailand A. Albon Williams 23 Williams Mercedes

+2.727

1'14.294

  206.374
17 United Kingdom O. Bearman Haas F1 Team 87 Haas Ferrari

+3.161

1'14.728

  205.176
18 Spain C. Sainz Williams 55 Williams Mercedes

+3.171

1'14.738

  205.148
19 Canada L. Stroll Aston Martin Racing 18 Aston Martin Honda

+3.824

1'15.391

  203.371
20 Finland V. Bottas Cadillac F1 Team 77 Cadillac Ferrari

+3.905

1'15.472

  203.153
21 Mexico S. Perez Cadillac F1 Team 11 Cadillac Ferrari

+3.978

1'15.545

  202.957
22 Spain F. Alonso Aston Martin Racing 14 Aston Martin Honda

+4.447

1'16.014

  201.704

Carlos Sainz and Fernando Alonso will start from the pit lane after a couple of set-up changes. Alonso's straight-line mode systems also appear to be working now, having failed to operate in sprint quali.

Zandvoort sprint race - coming soon!

Good morning everyone! A nice early start to the day, as we're in place for F1's fifth sprint race of the year - this time, at Zandvoort!

George Russell starts on pole for this 24-lap affair, alongside Lando Norris on the front row. 

George Russell, Mercedes

George Russell, Mercedes

Photo by: Andy Hone/ LAT Images via Getty Images

By: Jake Boxall-Legge

Published: