Lando Norris took pole position for the 2026 Dutch Grand Prix after a dramatic qualifying session at Zandvoort. The McLaren driver beat George Russell and Kimi Antonelli in the final minutes, with rain making the conditions more difficult during Q3.
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Q1: Sainz Misses Q2 by 0.022s
Oscar Piastri set the early pace in Q1, while Norris, Hamilton and Russell were also among the fastest drivers. The order changed during the final runs, with the fight to avoid elimination going down to the final laps. Hamilton improved to P2, with just 0.085 seconds separating the top three drivers at that stage. Bortoleto was also in the drop zone before he improved his time and moved into Q2.
Carlos Sainz missed out on Q2 by just 0.022 seconds to his Williams team-mate Alex Albon. Fernando Alonso, Lance Stroll and Ollie Bearman were also eliminated, while Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez completed the six drivers who did not progress.
Out: Sainz, Alonso, Stroll, Bearman, Bottas, Perez
Q2: Norris Leads Piastri
George Russell was fastest early in Q2 before Norris moved to the top of the timesheets. The McLaren pair remained closely matched throughout the session, with Piastri eventually finishing only 0.013 seconds behind Norris.
Verstappen was third with a 1:11.874, followed by Leclerc, Antonelli and Russell. Hamilton was seventh, ahead of Lawson, Bortoleto and Lindblad.
Gasly was the fastest driver to miss out on Q3 with a 1:12.616. Tsunoda, Hulkenberg, Colapinto, Ocon and Albon also failed to progress.
Out: Gasly, Tsunoda, Hulkenberg, Colapinto, Ocon, Albon
Q3: Norris Takes Pole as Rain Arrives
Norris and Piastri set the early pace in Q3 before Russell moved between the two McLarens. The Mercedes driver briefly split the McLaren pair as the top drivers prepared for their final runs.
Rain began to fall with around five minutes remaining, making the final laps more difficult as the track conditions worsened. Russell still improved his time, but Norris found enough time on his final lap to take pole with a 1:11.163.
Russell finished second in 1:11.265, with Antonelli third in 1:11.296 and Piastri fourth in 1:11.305. Hamilton qualified fifth, followed by Leclerc, Verstappen, Lawson, Bortoleto and Lindblad.
Sunday Preview
Sunday is expected to be cooler than Saturday, with temperatures around 18–20°C at Zandvoort. Most current forecasts point to mainly dry conditions, although a small chance of showers remains.
The full results of the qualifying according to FIA.com:
