2026 Dutch GP Qualifying: Lando Norris Throws a Curveball as Mercedes Fall Slightly Behind

Formula 1 is back at Zandvoort, Netherlands, after a long summer break. As a sprint weekend, there is a lot of action on track. However, qualifying for the main race was quite close across all three phases.The Dutch Grand Prix is known to be a damp, low-temperature race, and this weekend is no different. However, rain has been absent during the actual events.

Q1 showcased a strong pace from McLaren and Ferrari

Q1 started rapidly as most of the cars went out to set times due to the looming threat of a downpour. Spoiler alert, there was no rain for most of qualifying.

Most of Q1 was uneventful, apart from a gravel trip by Hamilton. However, both McLaren and Ferrari set some really strong times ahead of championship leader Mercedes.

Oscar Piastri was on P1 at the end of Q1 with Lewis Hamilton six-tenths behind, and Lando Norris made the last of the top 3, just eight-tenths behind Hamilton.

Mercedes teammates George Russell and Kimi Antonelli were just behind as well at P4 and P5. Evidently, Mercedes were unable to maintain the top 3 positions in Q1.

Out in the back, the Cadillacs were struggling for pace. Oliver Bearman, an unusual name in the bottom six, was knocked out in Q1, alongside the Aston Martins and the Cadillacs.

Out in Q1:

Sainz

Alonso

Stroll

Bearman

Bottas

Perez

McLaren dominates Q2 as Mercedes fell further behind alongside a Verstappen resurgence

McLaren was quick from the get-go in Q2 as Norris and Piastri exchanged positions at the top after each lap. Ferrari, however, had a different story to tell.

After the gravel trip, Hamilton reported some issues in the car, which the team was unable to fix in time, resulting in the 7x WDC losing a lot of time over a lap. He only managed to place himself P7 at the end of Q2. Leclerc managed to get to P4 on a used set of softs.

Home hero Max Verstappen showed some amazing pace in Q2, which brought back hope for the Dutch crowd. The Dutch Lion pulled off a scintillating P3 just behind the McLarens.

Mercedes seemed to have lost the plot as Antonelli and Russell sat at P5 and P6 respectively. Rain came down near the end of Q2 but did not last long enough to have an impact on the session or the track.

Out in Q2:

Gasly

Tsunoda

Hulkenberg

Colapinto

Ocon

Albon

Potential championship shakeup at the Dutch Grand Prix

Q3 began with the same pace as Q2, as the cars scattered to put time on the board. McLarens, again, started very strong. However, they were split by George Russell, who put his car in P2 after a very rapid first sector, but it was not enough to deter Lando Norris' raw pace.

Norris stayed P1 for the rest of the session; however, his teammate Oscar Piastri fell behind the Mercedes' pace. Kimi Antonelli pushed Piastri down to P4 as he slotted in just behind Russell.

The Ferraris were both off pace by almost 0.2s behind Piastri. Lewis Hamilton's car still had reported issues as he still managed to put himself in the top 5, behind Piastri, with Leclerc close behind at sixth but still 0.3s off the leader.

Max Verstappen, after an amazing P3 in Q2, was nowhere near the top by the end of Q3 as he could only manage a P7. Liam Lawson, still getting used to driving the Red Bull again, was just behind his teammate at P8.

Bortoleto managed to put his Audi in Q3 and managed to outpace Arvid Lindblad, just behind Liam Lawson.

Lando Norris is set to start the Dutch Grand Prix from P1 with Russell at P2 and Antonelli at P3. This can be a great comeback for George Russell, who has been off pace compared to his teammate and was pushed down to P3 in the Championship by Lewis Hamilton.

A great comeback from both George Russell and the McLarens. Let's see who can conquer the final grand prix at Zandvoort!