Dutch Grand Prix: Piastri on pole

      Sunny. Dry. Air +20–21°C, track +34–35°C

      At Zandvoort overtaking is difficult; strategy is often limited to a single pit stop — a good starting position is important and much is decided in qualifying.

      But if on Sunday the narrow, twisty circuit hinders battles for position, on Saturday it greatly enhances the spectacle. It’s very easy to make a mistake and crash at Zandvoort; to move up the order drivers are forced to take risks — here a lot really depends on skill.

      On Friday practice was stopped three times by red flags; Saturday morning everything was calm — Lando Norris led the free running. His McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri was one to two tenths slower, the rest were far behind. Qualifying put everything in its place.

      In the first session drivers were in no hurry to go out, trying to avoid traffic.

      On the seventh minute Lance Stroll crashed for the second time that weekend. Before turn 13 he ran his left wheels onto the grass, the car spun and was thrown into the barrier. The Canadian was able to continue and limped back to the pits with damaged suspension.

      On his first attempt Norris headed the times with 1:09.469. On his second attempt Piastri was faster — 1:09.338. Behind them the results were very tight — 14 drivers fitted into three tenths.

      Colapinto, Hülkenberg, Ocon, Berman and Stroll, who did not set a single flying lap, dropped out of further contention.

      In the second session the Ferrari drivers went out first. A bold fox crossed the track right in front of Leclerc’s car. Neither the car nor the animal was harmed.

      On the first runs Norris set the best time — 1:08.874, nine hundredths ahead of his teammate. On a flying lap while returning to the pits Lando impeded Verstappen at turn seven.

      On the second runs Norris’s time held. Antonelli, Tsunoda, Bortolotto, Gasly and Albon did not make the final.

      In the final Norris, Piastri and Verstappen went out on scrubbed-in tyres; the others chose a new set for their first attempt.

      On the first attempt Piastri set the best time — 1:08.662, a hundredth ahead of his teammate. On the second runs the McLarens did not improve, retaining the lead.

      Oscar Piastri won qualifying in Zandvoort, taking his fifth pole of the season. Lando Norris qualified second — on Sunday McLaren will occupy the entire front row for the fourth time this season and the 70th time in the team’s history.

      From the second row will start Verstappen and Hadjar, who achieved the best result of his career, and from the third row Russell and Leclerc, who beat his teammate in the last sector of the decisive lap.

      Qualifying results

      Driver

       Team

       Q1

       Q2

       Q3

      

       Pos

       Time

       Laps

       Pos

       Time

       Laps

       Pos

       Time

       Laps

      

      1. O. Piastri

       McLaren

       1

       1:09.338

       6

       2

       1:08.964

       6

       1

       1:08.662

       6

      

      2. L. Norris

       McLaren

       2

       1:09.469

       6

       1

       1:08.874

       6

       2

       1:08.674

       6

      

      3. M. Verstappen

       Red Bull

       4

       1:09.696

       6

       3

       1:09.122

       6

       3

       1:08.925

       6

      

      4. A. Hadjar

       Racing Bulls

       13

       1:09.966

       6

       9

       1:09.439

       6

       4

       1:09.208

       6

      

      5. G. Russell

       Mercedes

       3

       1:09.676

       6

       6

       1:09.313

       6

       5

       1:09.255

       6

      

      6. S. Leclerc

       Ferrari

       10

       1:09.906

       9

       5

       1:09.304

       7

       6

       1:09.340

       6

      

      7. L. Hamilton

       Ferrari

       9

       1:09.900

       8

       4

       1:09.261

       7

       7

       1:09.390

       6

      

      8. L. Lawson

       Racing Bulls

       5

       1:09.779

       6

       8

       1:09.383

       6

       8

       1:09.500

       6

      

      9. C. Sainz

       Williams

       14

       1:09.980

       6

       10

       1:09.472

       6

       9

       1:09.505

       6

      

      10. F. Alonso

       Aston Martin

       11

       1:09.950

       5

       7

       1:09.366

       6

       10

       1:09.630

       6

      

      11. K. Antonelli

       Mercedes

       7

       1:09.845

       6

       11

       1:09.493

       6

      

      12. Y. Tsunoda

       Red Bull

       12

       1:09.954

       9

       12

       1:09.622

       6

      

      13. G. Bortolotto

       Sauber

       15

       1:10.037

       6

       13

       1:09.622

       6

      

      14. P. Gasly

       Alpine

       8

       1:09.894

       9

       14

       1:09.637

       6

      

      15. A. Albon

       Williams

       6

       1:09.792

       6

       15

       1:09.652

       6

      

      16. F. Colapinto

       Alpine

       16

       1:10.104

       9

      

      17. N. Hülkenberg

       Sauber

       17

       1:10.195

       9

      

      18. E. Ocon

       Haas

       18

       1:10.197

       9

      

      19. O. Berman

       Haas

       19

       1:10.262

       9

      

      L. Stroll

       Aston Martin

       20

       –

       2