Norris Beats Russell to Pole for Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort

Posted : 23 August 2026

Lando Norris claimed pole position for the Dutch Grand Prix after producing a late qualifying lap to beat Mercedes drivers George Russell and Kimi Antonelli at Zandvoort. The McLaren driver clocked 1:11.163 to take the top spot by 0.102 seconds from Russell.

Norris had struggled for pace during Saturday's Sprint, where Russell led from pole to victory and Norris finished third. McLaren made setup changes before qualifying, and the reigning world champion responded with his second consecutive Grand Prix pole after also starting first in Hungary.

The final qualifying session became increasingly tense as light rain approached the circuit. Antonelli briefly moved to provisional pole, but Norris responded with his final attempt before the conditions worsened. Russell then moved ahead of his Mercedes team-mate, but neither driver could match Norris's 1:11.163.

Norris admitted he was surprised by the result after McLaren's difficulties earlier in the day. He said the lap was strong and stressed that the margins were extremely small, with every hundredth of a second proving important in such a close session.

Russell had looked like the driver to beat throughout much of the weekend. He won the Sprint from pole and reduced the gap to championship leader Antonelli, but the Mercedes driver will now start the main race from second. His team-mate Antonelli will line up third after losing time with an error at Turn 1.

Oscar Piastri completed the second row in fourth for McLaren, only 0.142 seconds off Norris's benchmark. Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc qualified fifth and sixth, while home favourite Max Verstappen could manage only seventh for Red Bull.

The result gives Norris a major advantage at a circuit where overtaking has traditionally been difficult. Since Zandvoort returned to the Formula 1 calendar in 2021, every Dutch Grand Prix pole-sitter has gone on to win the race. This year's event is also the final Dutch Grand Prix scheduled at Zandvoort after the circuit's current place on the calendar ends.

Antonelli still leads the championship, but Russell's Sprint victory has brought him closer in the standings. Hamilton remains among the main title contenders, while McLaren's recent improvements have allowed Norris and Piastri to challenge Mercedes more consistently as the championship battle intensifies.

Norris Beats Russell to Pole for Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort

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