F1 qualifying: Max Verstappen on pole for Dutch GP as Sergio Perez spin prevents Hamilton and Russell
Follow all the reaction to qualifying at the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort
The Formula 1 season continues after its return in Belgium last week with this weekend’s Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort, with Max Verstappen holding a healthy 93-point lead in the World Championship with eight races to go.
The Red Bull star stormed to victory at Spa-Francorchamps at the weekend, winning by a margin of 18 seconds to team-mate Sergio Perez despite starting in P14 due to an engine penalty; Carlos Sainz took the other podium spot as he held off George Russell late on, while Charles Leclerc finished sixth. Lewis Hamilton retired for the first time this season following a first-lap collision with the Alpine of Fernando Alonso.
This weekend sees F1 roll into Zandvoort, which returned to the calendar last year when Verstappen comfortably won his home Grand Prix. The Mercedes duo of Russell and Hamilton earned Mercedes a one-two in first practice with Sainz third and Verstappen stopping after just 10 minutes due to a transmission issue. Second practice saw Leclerc lead a Ferrari one-two ahead of Sainz, with Hamilton third and Verstappen down in eighth with the news of Oscar Piastri signing for McLaren the main talking point from Friday.
Third practice saw Charles Leclerc go fastest - qualifying started at 2pm (BST).
Follow all the action here with The Independent:
F1 qualifying - Dutch Grand Prix: MAX VERSTAPPEN IS ON POLE POSITION FOR THE DUTCH GRAND PRIX!
Verstappen nicks it with his final flying lap, going faster than Leclerc’s improved second flying lap - by 0.021 seconds! The shortest margin between 1-2 in qualifying all year!
Sergio Perez spins round in the third sector, ruining the Mercedes chances of beating Verstappen! They had to back off (though were probably a tad short too...)
Carlos Sainz 3rd, 0.092 seconds behind Verstappen, with Lewis Hamilton 4th!
5-10: Perez, Russell, Norris, Schumacher, Tsunoda, Stroll
Leclerc looks gutted! Hamilton could have had a front-row spot for the first time this season too, judging by his first two sectors...
F1 qualifying - Dutch Grand Prix: 2 minutes left in Q3!
Nine out of 10 drivers now out on their out-laps at Zandvoort for their final flying laps of the day - can anyone touch Charles Leclerc’s 1:10:456 lap?
Verstappen, Hamilton and Sainz all in the 1:10 bracket. While Russell now has a new set of soft tyres on his car....
This is when it counts now!
F1 qualifying - Dutch Grand Prix: 5 minutes left in Q3!
Provisional pole sitter is Charles Leclerc - just 0.059 seconds quicker than Max Verstappen!
Lewis Hamilton is third, 0.192 seconds behind pole, with Sainz fourth and Perez 5th! Russell is sixth, but only 0.691 seconds off Leclerc on top! It’s so tight!
7-10: Norris, Tsuonda, Schumacher, Stroll (yet to set a time; his Aston Martin has a technical problem with his car and he won’t take part in Q3!)
One more run to go... can the Ferrari man hold on?!
F1 qualifying - Dutch Grand Prix: Q3 underway!
We’re underway in the final qualifying session at Zandvoort - who will be on pole for tomorrow’s race amid a lively atmosphere at the Dutch Grand Prix!
Featuring in Q3: Verstappen, Perez, Hamilton, Russell, Leclerc, Sainz, Tsunoda, Schumacher, Norris, Stroll.
Max Verstappen out first on his home track...
F1 qualifying - Dutch Grand Prix: Q2 DONE!
The Alpines of Esteban Ocon and Fernando Alonso are both out! Pierre Gasly also out, just behind team-mate Yuki Tsuonda!
Knocked-out of Q2 (11-15): Gasly, Ocon, Alonso, Zhou, Albon
Top-three: Sainz, Russell, Verstappen. Leclerc 4th, Hamilton 5th and Norris 6th! All seperated by three-tenths!
Now for the Q3 showdown!
F1 qualifying - Dutch Grand Prix: 6 minutes left in Q2...
It’s very tight at the top... but it’s still Max Verstappen who leads the way, a tenth quicker than the Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton - it’s like 2021 all over again!
Perez 3rd, Stroll a surprise name in 4th and Russell in 5th. The Ferraris of Sainz and Leclerc are not safe yet - seventh and ninth respectively!
Currently in the danger-zone (11-15): Gasly, Ocon, Zhou, Tsuonda, Schumacher.
F1 qualifying - Dutch Grand Prix: Q2 back underway!
We are now back underway - 13 minutes left - after that brief pause which ruined Alex Albon’s early run in Q2, and the Williams is back out again straight away...
Who will reach the top-10 shootout in Q3 and fight for pole position?
A reminder, we have already lost: Bottas, Magnussen, Ricciardo, Vettel, Latifi.
We have been told that the person who chucked the flare on track has been removed from the track... good riddance!
F1 qualifying - Dutch Grand Prix: Red flag in Q2!
Barely a minute into the 15-minute session and the session is red flag due to an orange flare thrown onto the track, affecting Alex Albon’s flying run!
Stupid. So stupid. Given fans have been told to hand in flares at the gate, that sums up why...
It’s a terrific atmosphere at Zandvoort anyhow, but no need for it to effect the sporting spectacle!
F1 qualifying - Dutch Grand Prix: Q1 DONE!
Daniel Ricciardo is out of qualifying! Only 18th for the McLaren! Another nightmare Saturday for the Australian...
16-20 and out of Q1: Bottas, Magnussen, Ricciardo, Vettel Latifi.
At the top, Max Verstappen is out in front with Lewis Hamilton a tenth behind - Yuki Tsunoda in third!
F1 qualifying - Dutch Grand Prix: 2:00 left in Q1
Sebastian Vettel and Daniel Ricciardo now among the drivers in trouble in Q1 - they’re 16th and 17th respectively!
Also in the bottom-five: Alex Albon, Mick Schumacher and Nicholas Latifi.
Kevin Magnussen the main the danger-zone in 15th with Lando Norris and Valtteri Bottas also perilously close to the bottom-five...
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