For the start of the school year, teenager Kimi Antonelli was the fastest in the dunes of Zandvoort, but the gaps are small between Mercedes, McLaren, and Ferrari ahead of the Sprint qualifying.
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Kimi Antonelli set the best time in the only free practice session of the Dutch Grand Prix, immediately confirming Mercedes’ competitiveness on the demanding Zandvoort track.
The championship leader edged out Lando Norris by just under one and a half tenths at the end of a particularly important session due to the Sprint format, which leaves teams only one hour to prepare their cars before the start of competitive sessions.
Mercedes also showed an excellent overall level as George Russell finished third, just behind Norris. Lewis Hamilton settled in fourth place for Ferrari less than two tenths behind, ahead of his teammate Charles Leclerc in fifth.
Antonelli fast despite a spin
The session was not entirely smooth for Antonelli. The Italian pulled off a spectacular 360-degree spin but was lucky to stay on the asphalt and continue his program immediately.
Several drivers were also caught out by the narrow limits of the Dutch circuit. Carlos Sainz and Hamilton notably went off track, bringing gravel onto the track. These incidents once again illustrated the little margin for error offered by Zandvoort, where gravel traps await drivers at the exit of many corners.
Despite his spin, Antonelli finished the session with the best time and an interesting lead over Norris.
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Lawson convincing, Verstappen frustrating
Liam Lawson was also highly anticipated after being called by Red Bull to replace Isack Hadjar. The New Zealander did not seem to need much time to find his bearings at the wheel of the RB22. Quickly in rhythm, he showed himself comfortable and competitive from his first laps.
The morning was more frustrating for Max Verstappen. In front of his home crowd and freshly extended by Red Bull, the Dutchman complained about the behavior of his car, particularly the downshifts which he described as “ridiculous”.
Verstappen even explained that he almost ended up in the wall because of the problem, which has already troubled him several times this season.
More difficult return for Tsunoda
Yuki Tsunoda was also returning to competition at Zandvoort, this time with Racing Bulls in place of Lawson.
The Japanese started the session at an encouraging pace and stayed close to Arvid Lindblad for a long time. However, he gradually fell back in the rankings to finally finish 17th. With this single session now over, teams will no longer have the opportunity to experiment.
And as things get serious, Mercedes and Antonelli already have a first psychological advantage: the championship leader is also the first man of the weekend at Zandvoort.
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Free practice session results
