Max Verstappen has secured pole position for the Dutch Grand Prix. During qualifying at Circuit Zandvoort, the Red Bull driver was fastest, placing him in an ideal position for his home race on Sunday.
Charles Leclerc will start alongside Verstappen on the front row. The Ferrari driver finished second, just ahead of McLaren’s Lando Norris, who secured the third starting position for the main race.
Championship leader Andrea Kimi Antonelli experienced a more challenging session. The Mercedes driver could only manage eighth place on the grid after struggling to find pace in the final part of qualifying.
This result puts Antonelli’s lead in the standings under significant pressure. His main championship rivals are all starting ahead of him for the race, offering them a clear opportunity to close the points gap.
Verstappen was pleased with the result in front of the home crowd. He noted the car felt strong throughout the session, giving him the confidence to push for the fastest time in the final run of Q3.
Leclerc acknowledged the small margins at the front of the grid. He stated that while second place is a strong starting position, overtaking Verstappen will require a perfect strategy and race pace.
Antonelli commented on his difficult qualifying performance. He explained that the team struggled with the car’s balance and that P8 was not the target, but points are still the objective for Sunday.
Behind the top three, Oscar Piastri qualified fourth for McLaren. George Russell completed the top five in the other Mercedes, securing a spot on the third row of the grid for the start of the race.
Carlos Sainz starts from sixth for Williams, ahead of Lewis Hamilton in the second Ferrari. Antonelli, Fernando Alonso, and Sergio Pérez complete the top ten starting positions for the Grand Prix.
