George Russell claimed victory in the Dutch Grand Prix Sprint after controlling the race at Zandvoort from the opening lap to the chequered flag. The Mercedes driver started from pole position, retained the lead when the lights went out and completed all 24 laps without allowing a rival to get ahead. Russell crossed the finish line 1.360 seconds ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, while reigning world champion Lando Norris finished third for McLaren, approximately 5.1 seconds behind the winner. Kimi Antonelli took fourth in the second Mercedes, followed by McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen. Lewis Hamilton brought additional points home for Ferrari in seventh, while Alpine’s Pierre Gasly claimed the final Sprint point in eighth. For Russell, it was his third Sprint victory of the 2026 Formula 1 season and an important result immediately after the summer break.
Russell made a strong start and initially had Norris as his closest challenger. The McLaren appeared capable of putting pressure on the Mercedes during the early stages, but Norris gradually lost pace and came under attack from Leclerc. The Ferrari driver managed to pass Norris for second but did not have sufficient time or speed to mount a serious challenge for the lead. Russell managed his tyres and pace effectively and avoided any major mistakes through to the finish. Rain arrived only in the closing moments of an otherwise dry Sprint and came too late to transform the order. The result was also significant for the championship. Antonelli remained at the top of the drivers’ standings and held a 53-point advantage over Hamilton after the Sprint, while Russell reduced his own deficit and remained firmly involved in the title battle.
The Zandvoort weekend continued with qualifying and Sunday’s main Grand Prix, however, and the competitive picture changed considerably. Norris took pole for the Dutch Grand Prix with a 1:11.163 lap, beating Russell by just 0.102 seconds and Antonelli by 0.133. Norris then converted McLaren’s speed into victory in the Grand Prix, with Antonelli finishing second and Russell completing the podium in third. Home favourite Max Verstappen crashed out on the opening lap, causing the race to be stopped. After the restart, the battle for victory developed between Norris and the Mercedes drivers before the McLaren ultimately prevailed.
Following the Grand Prix, Antonelli has 242 points and has extended his championship advantage to 59 points. Russell and Hamilton are level on 183. Mercedes therefore leaves the Netherlands with a Sprint victory, second and third places in the Grand Prix and continued leadership of the drivers’ championship through Antonelli. The weekend was historic for another reason: this was the final scheduled Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort for the foreseeable future. The circuit returned to Formula 1 in 2021 following a 36-year absence, but organisers decided to end their current run after the 2026 event. Russell’s Sprint victory and Norris’s Grand Prix triumph have consequently become part of the final chapter of Zandvoort’s modern Formula 1 era.
