F1 is back after the summer break and heads to the final running of the Dutch GP. Zandvoort will host a sprint race for the first time, meaning there are more points up for grabs. Everyone will be keen to take points off Mercedes and Kimi Antonelli, making for an enthralling race in the Netherlands.
Antonelli currently leads the championship by 50 points from Lewis Hamilton, while Mercedes have a healthy gap over Ferrari in the constructors' table. However, with multiple teams bringing upgrades to Zandvoort, the race could be a bit of an unknown.
Ferrari and McLaren bring upgrades to the Dutch GP to catch Mercedes
Ferrari and McLaren are being aggressive in their bid to catch championship leaders Mercedes. The Scuderia are bringing a new underfloor, aiming to give the SF-26 an advantage during the twisty sections of the track. The Zandvoort circuit is more about cornering speed than straight-line speed, making this the ideal track to add the component.
Having won in Budapest last time out, Lando Norris and McLaren are also looking to continue their progress. Having brought a large upgrade package in Hungary, which worked well, the Woking-based team is completing the updates, hoping to make the MCL40 even more competitive. With two rivals bringing upgrades to the race, Mercedes could be under pressure.
2026 Constructors’ Standings
Full table →| # | Constructor | Wins | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | MercedesMER | 11 | 538 |
| 2 | FerrariFER | 2 | 378 |
| 3 | McLarenMCL | 2 | 306 |
| 4 | Red Bull RacingRAC | 0 | 249 |
| 5 | Racing BullsBUL | 0 | 97 |
It isn't just their rivals Mercedes will need to watch out for. The weather is forecast to be unpredictable, with rain causing problems throughout the weekend. The new 2026 regulation cars are yet to have a wet session, meaning this will be an unknown for all teams. This could add an extra layer of havoc for the final Dutch GP.
Hoping that rain could become an equaliser is Red Bull, which has tied down Dutchman Max Verstappen until 2030. However, due to Isack Hadjar's injury, the four-time world champion will have Liam Lawson alongside him. Replacing Lawson in the Racing Bull seat is Yuki Tsunoda, making his comeback after being dropped at the end of the season.
2026 Drivers’ Standings
Full table →| # | Driver | Team | Wins | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Kimi AntonelliANT | Mercedes | 8 | 302 |
| 2 |  George RussellRUS | Mercedes | 3 | 236 |
| 3 |  Lewis HamiltonHAM | Ferrari | 1 | 199 |
| 4 |  Lando NorrisNOR | McLaren | 2 | 186 |
| 5 |  Charles LeclercLEC | Ferrari | 1 | 179 |
| 6 |  Max VerstappenVER | Red Bull Racing | 0 | 163 |
There are also eyes down the bottom of the grid, where Honda is bringing an updated engine to the Netherlands. Aston Martin hopes this will give them more straight-line speed as they look to push up the table. Fellow strugglers Williams expect this weekend to be tough again, but at least have the positivity of signing both drivers up for next season.
The Dutch GP is a hard race weekend to call, with upgrades, weather conditions and substitute drivers all added to a difficult race after the summer break. Adding a sprint to proceedings means teams will be unsure how effective their new parts are. Bringing updates is a bold call during a sprint weekend, which will add just another layer of uncertainty to the pecking order
