Piastri 'takes Norris' pole' at Zandvoort.

      "Those are the team orders - go and race."

      Oscar Piastri maintained his composure at Zandvoort, claiming pole position from his McLaren teammate Lando Norris. The Australian championship leader had been slightly trailing Norris throughout the weekend but found the necessary speed at the crucial moment. "That was the definition of peaking at the right time," Piastri said with a smile. "I felt pretty good all weekend, but there were just a couple of corners where I couldn’t improve my pace."

      Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport put it succinctly: "Piastri takes Norris’ pole." The championship leader once again showcased how formidable he can be when it counts.

      Spanish commentator Antonio Lobato expressed concerns about Norris’ body language, suggesting it reflects a sense of fragility. He observed that the Briton appeared to be in a "somewhat depressed mood, which we've seen before," and argued that Norris should adopt a more aggressive approach. "You need to send a message to your teammate and rival, stating: ‘I’m going to attack on lap 1, on lap 3, on lap 5, on all of them. I’ll give my all to win this race,’" Lobato remarked. "That’s a flaw I see in Lando Norris, and he needs to address it, both on and off the track," he added on DAZN.

      Reigning world champion Max Verstappen will start in P3, showing some improvement from Hungary but acknowledging that the title is likely out of reach. "On used tyres, we were competitive with the McLaren in the long runs," a hopeful Red Bull advisor, Helmut Marko, stated. "Perhaps we can still pull off a surprise in the Grand Prix."

      Meanwhile, Zandvoort's organizers admit that generating demand was somewhat more challenging this year, but the Dutch GP – the second-to-last of the modern era – is once again sold out. "The demand for tickets remains robust. It’s wonderful to see a full house again," said Dutch GP chief Jan Lammers. "The success in the business segment is remarkable, year after year. All business packages have sold out again this year. More than 15,000 attendees visited the circuit on Thursday for business meetings and events with partners and supporters. The sell-out for Saturday and Sunday highlights our appeal as both a sporting and business event."

      Regarding the sell-out Sunday, the race appears to be set up as a straightforward internal team contest. "First, we need to secure first and second places," McLaren CEO Zak Brown stated. "The drivers can compete amongst themselves to determine who’s first and who’s second. Those are the team orders - go and race."