The short version
- Kimi Antonelli led the opening practice session at the Dutch Grand Prix, extending his championship lead over Lando Norris by fifty points.
- Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso finished twelfth, suggesting the new Honda engine is delivering the expected performance gains despite remaining behind top-tier rivals.
- Red Bull struggled in early testing with Max Verstappen eleventh and Liam Lawson fourteenth, while several teams introduced aerodynamic upgrades to their chassis.
The Formula One championship battle took a clearer shape at the Dutch Grand Prix as Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli topped the timesheets in the first practice session. The nineteen-year-old Italian maintained his position at the summit of the standings, holding a fifty-point advantage over McLaren’s Lando Norris. Antonelli set the pace by 0.121 seconds, demonstrating consistent speed even before the competitive racing begins. His teammate George Russell was just 0.004 seconds slower, indicating strong performance from the Mercedes garage as they look to defend their title contender.
Lando Norris, who secured victory in the previous race in Hungary before the summer hiatus, finished second in the session. Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton, currently trailing Antonelli by fifty points in the championship standings, posted the fourth-fastest time. He was 0.190 seconds off the pace set by Antonelli. Charles Leclerc and Oscar Piastri completed the top six positions, showing that the midfield competition remains tight as teams attempt to close the gap to the leaders.
Significant attention focused on Aston Martin’s performance with Fernando Alonso finishing twelfth fastest. The Spanish driver was 1.562 seconds down on the leader, but this result appears encouraging for the team. Early data suggests the new Honda engine is providing a lap time gain of between 0.3 and 0.5 seconds, which aligns with the improvements Aston Martin had hoped to achieve. While the company admits its power unit still lags behind the best engines on the grid, this represents a tangible step forward from the previous iteration.
These performance signs are critical for Alonso as he considers his future in the sport beyond the end of the current season. The progress made with the Honda partnership offers a potential pathway to continued competitiveness. If the engine development continues on this trajectory, it may influence Alonso’s decision regarding his long-term plans. The team has also introduced small aerodynamic upgrades, specifically to the front wing, aiming to complement the power unit improvements.
Red Bull faced challenges in the opening session, with reigning champion Max Verstappen managing only an eleventh-place finish. His teammate Liam Lawson, who was promoted from Racing Bulls after regular driver Isack Hadjar broke his wrist while boxing, finished fourteenth. Hadjar will miss the Dutch Grand Prix due to the injury. The struggles for Red Bull highlight the competitive nature of the current grid, where even the defending champions must adapt quickly to maintain their edge.
Other teams also brought updates to Zandvoort in hopes of improving their race pace. Ferrari introduced a new floor, aiming to capitalize on the potential they displayed in Hungary. That previous event saw Ferrari show strong speed but ultimately lose ground due to strategy and operational errors. The team hopes these chassis upgrades will help them convert raw pace into consistent results. Audi’s Nico Hulkenberg was seventh fastest, notable for being the quickest driver not to use soft tires.
Alpine brought its first major upgrade in some time, though only Pierre Gasly had access to the new parts during this session. Gabriel Bortoleto, driving the second Audi, and Arvid Lindblad of Racing Bulls completed the top ten. McLaren also introduced minor aerodynamic changes around the rear bodywork and wing. These incremental improvements across multiple teams suggest a highly competitive environment where small gains can significantly impact championship outcomes.
As the weekend progresses, the focus will shift from practice times to race strategy and reliability. The fifty-point gap between Antonelli and Norris remains substantial, but the remaining races offer ample opportunity for shifts in momentum. Teams like Ferrari and Aston Martin are banking on their new components to deliver consistent performance under race conditions. The Dutch Grand Prix could serve as a crucial indicator of which teams have successfully bridged the performance gaps identified earlier in the season.
Sources behind this briefing
Go to the original reporting
- BBC News↗Antonelli leads Norris in Dutch GP first practice
