George Russell secured pole for Mercedes in Zandvoort’s sprint qualifying, closing on Lando Norris by just 0.624 s.
Mercedes lock out the front row
Russell’s fastest speed train was followed by Norris in second place and Charles Leclerc, who edged the Aston Martin with a 0.055‑second margin. The top five of the session was covered by a single tenth of a second, a tight battle that showcased Mercedes’ pace.
Hamilton’s unsettled SF‑26 lowers the chip
Lewis Hamilton, unable to join the front, finished seventh after the team said the SF‑26 felt “completely different” following subtle set‑up tweaks between practice and qualifying. “We went in the wrong direction with our setup decisions,” he said, noting a need to sift through data to solve the problem.
Leclerc proud of his best lap of the season
Leclerc described the lap that won him third on Saturday as “one of the best” of the year. He added that the feeling in the car was positive, a good sign for the short sprint weekend.
Conditions and sprint race outlook
Only one hour of practice was available, with damp input at the start. The 24‑lap sprint offers a single opportunity to position so the field remains open for the long‑haul race.
Red Bull tops weekend leaders
While Mercedes and Ferrari fought behind the pole position, Max Verstappen’s Red Bull set the fastest times, leaving Ferrari walled‑off from the front grid. The weekend’s results will shape strategies for the remaining races.
Photo by: Alastair Staley / LAT Images via Getty Images
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