Antonelli Tops Practice Session
Kimi Antonelli Leads Dutch Grand Prix Practice as Lando Norris Finishes Close Second
Key Points
Max Verstappen finished 11th in the opening practice as Red Bull continue to adjust their lineup and strategy for the weekend, following the announcement of his new long-term contract with the team on Thursday.
Liam Lawson, standing in for Isack Hadjar, finished 14th in the session, about six-tenths off the pace of Verstappen.
Yuki Tsunoda made a surprise return for Red Bull and ended the session in 17th place.
Fernando Alonso ended 12th for Aston Martin, around 1.56 seconds off the pace, as the team continues to assess the Honda engine upgrade.
Sprint qualifying for Saturday’s 24-lap dash is scheduled to start at 16:30 local time.
Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli set the pace at the Dutch Grand Prix with a commanding drive in the sole practice session at Zandvoort, finishing 0.121 seconds ahead of McLaren's Lando Norris BBC. Antonelli's championship-leading Mercedes team edged out rivals Ferrari and McLaren in a tight battle, while Red Bull's Max Verstappen struggled in 11th place after signing a new long-term contract with the team on Thursday HeadTopics.
Mercedes Edges Out McLaren and Ferrari in Tight Session
George Russell finished just 0.004 seconds behind Norris in third place, underscoring Mercedes' dominance BBC. Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton took fourth, with teammate Charles Leclerc in the top six as the three title contenders pushed new upgrades to close small performance gaps HeadTopics.
Aston Martin Tests New Honda Engine at Zandvoort
Aston Martin showed encouraging signs from their new Honda engine upgrade during the session HeadTopics. However, Fernando Alonso finished 12th, about 1.56 seconds off the pace, as the team continues to evaluate the potential 0.3 to 0.5 second performance gains from the new power unit HeadTopics.
Red Bull Struggles While Lineup Adjustments Unfold
Red Bull faced challenges in the opening practice with Verstappen finishing 11th, a surprise result for the defending champions HeadTopics. Liam Lawson, standing in for teammate Isack Hadjar, finished 14th about six-tenths off Verstappen's pace, while Red Bull also featured Yuki Tsunoda in 17th place as the team manages multiple driver changes HeadTopics.
Sprint Format Leaves Teams Single Chance to Prepare
The sprint-format weekend compressed preparation time, giving teams just one practice session to set up for competition HeadTopics. Sprint qualifying is scheduled to start at 16:30 local time on Saturday for the 24-lap sprint race, making Friday's solo session crucial for all teams to dial in their setups HeadTopics.
Sentiment
Mostly PositivePublishers
12
Articles
22
Reach
34
