Max Verstappen had a commendable qualifying session for the final edition of the Dutch GP. The four-time world champion drives to seventh place at the Zandvoort circuit, no more was possible for the Red Bull driver. Pole position is reserved for world champion Lando Norris, ahead of Mercedes drivers George Russell and Kimi Antonelli.
Read more Lando Norris takes very last pole at Zandvoort: ‘It doesn’t get any better than this’
Relive the qualifying for the Dutch GP below:
Q1: Verstappen and Lawson advance without problems
And we have started, while the wave goes around the stands. Max Verstappen goes out on used softs. Yuki Tsunoda sets the first time in his Racing Bulls car with 1:14.287. The Japanese driver was literally picked up from the beach last week to replace Liam Lawson, who in turn moved up to Red Bull to temporarily take the seat of the injured Isack Hadjar.
Lawson split the two Ferraris of Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc shortly after in his first fast run. Max Verstappen manages that too. The latter is just a fraction slower than his New Zealand teammate. In his second lap on the asphalt (on the same rubber), Verstappen restores the order… After the first series of fast runs from the field, Oscar Piastri ultimately leads the way in his McLaren: 1:12.848. Lewis Hamilton locks up before the Tarzan corner and goes full throttle into the gravel with his Ferrari. Not a smart move from the seven-time world champion.
World champion Lando Norris and McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri kick off their second fast run. Piastri improves his best time to 1:12.610. Everyone goes out except Leclerc and Verstappen. They believe it’s enough and prepare for Q2. Verstappen advances as twelfth, Lawson as fourteenth. Piastri, last year’s winner, remains the fastest.
Eliminated Q1: Sainz, Alonso, Stroll, Bearman, Bottas, and Pérez.
Q2: Max Verstappen records a fine third time
And the clock is ticking again. Max Verstappen is the first to hit the track, with fresh tires he just saved at the end of Q1. George Russell comes across the line after his first fast run in 1:11.959. Max Verstappen has a double warm-up lap and loses quite a bit, he comes to 1:12.634. Meanwhile, Oscar Piastri (1:11.834), Lando Norris (1:11.860), and Charles Leclerc (1:11.910) improve Russell’s time. The margins are extremely small. Verstappen will now have to go out for a second fast run, as this time he is far from certain of a spot in the top ten. The same applies to teammate Liam Lawson.
Again Verstappen goes for a double warm-up lap. When he goes full throttle, he is apparently slightly hindered by Pierre Gasly. Verstappen improves, mainly thanks to a very strong third sector: 1:11.874. It is good for third place. Great work from Verstappen! The fastest time is again for a McLaren, this time from Lando Norris: 1:11.628. Teammate Piastri recorded the second time (1:11.641). Verstappen’s teammate Liam Lawson also makes Q3, in eighth place.
Read more Kimi Antonelli is frustrated after P3 in Zandvoort: ‘I could have taken pole’
Eliminated Q2: Gasly, Tsunoda, Hülkenberg, Colapinto, Ocon, Albon.
Q3: Max Verstappen sneers over the radio at Russell
The top ten immediately go out as the clock counts down to zero. Verstappen sneers over the radio to George Russell that the Brit from Mercedes might start ‘whining’ again to complain about an unsafe release from the Dutchman, but there was nothing wrong. It is important to set a good time quickly as it looks like some raindrops are coming.
Kimi Antonelli is the first to go for his fast run but loses a lot in the second sector. The Italian from Mercedes ends up at 1:11.675. Lando Norris is significantly faster: 1:11.344. And Max Verstappen approaches Antonelli’s time to within two thousandths: 1:11.677. After the first runs in Q3, Norris leads the way, ahead of compatriot Russell and teammate Piastri. Verstappen currently has the sixth time.
With rain approaching, all drivers almost immediately go out again for their second fast run on fresh rubber. And yes, the first drops fall. It will be a hell of a task to improve Norris’s fastest time. This time no double warm-up laps, haste is required!
Russell and Verstappen improve in the first sector. But Norris also improves to 1:11.163. This must surely be enough for pole. Max Verstappen improves to 1:11.618, good for fifth place. Some still go for an extra final run, the track still seems good enough for it. Verstappen ultimately finishes seventh, over half a second behind polesitter Norris, but just ahead of Lawson.
Top-10: Norris, Russell, Antonelli, Piastri, Hamilton, Leclerc, Verstappen, Lawson, Bortoleto, Lindblad.
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