George Russell took pole for the Sprint race at Formula 1's farewell to Zandvoort. The Mercedes driver beat Lando Norris by just 41 thousandths, with Charles Leclerc completing the top three in a qualifying session marked by the circuit's narrowness.
Qualifying also had a special meaning. It is the first time Zandvoort has hosted a Sprint format in Formula 1, and at the same time, it will be the circuit's last appearance on the calendar for the foreseeable future. After this weekend, the track will no longer be part of the championship and has no new appearance planned, so Saturday's Sprint will also be the first and last of its history.
The track once again demonstrated from SQ1 why it is so difficult for drivers. Its narrow sectors leave little room to find space when several cars are on track, making traffic a decisive factor. Unlike other circuits on the calendar, battery management is not a central concern here, so drivers can focus mainly on getting a clean lap and making the most of the tires.
During SQ1 and SQ2, all drivers were also required to use medium tires, leaving the softs for the final session's decision.
Kimi Antonelli was one of the big losers of the day. The Mercedes driver had finished as the reference in the first practice and arrived as one of the main candidates to take pole. However, on his first attempt he lost control of the car on the last corner and went off track. The mistake conditioned the rest of the session and, although he managed to advance to SQ3, he never again showed the pace he had exhibited during the morning. He finally finished fifth.
Another name that was eliminated earlier than expected was Fernando Alonso. The Spaniard locked up his tires heavily and ended up running off track, which prevented him from completing a competitive time. His elimination was especially surprising after having finished twelfth in the first practice, a result that suggested Aston Martin could once again get through the first cut. However, Alonso was eliminated along with Oliver Bearman, Carlos Sainz, Lance Stroll, Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Pérez.
SQ2 developed more calmly and without major incidents. Red Bull once again showed some difficulties, especially with Max Verstappen, who throughout the day was uncomfortable with his car's behavior and far from the pace needed to fight for the top positions.
In contrast, Pierre Gasly once again made the difference within Alpine. The French team introduced upgrades for this weekend and, although they were only available on Gasly's car, the driver managed to take advantage of them to once again beat his teammate. The car's evolution had been observed during practice and was again reflected in qualifying.
Eliminated in this instance were Liam Lawson, Yuki Tsunoda, Franco Colapinto, Nico Hülkenberg, Esteban Ocon and Alexander Albon. Thus, the grid was defined for an SQ3 that promised to be especially complicated due to Zandvoort's characteristics.
The final session had a strategic particularity. With only eight minutes available, teams decided to wait about half the session before sending their drivers out on track. The decision responded to the need to find the right moment to complete a single lap on soft tires and, at the same time, avoid getting stuck in traffic on a circuit where available space is very limited.
The ten drivers ultimately went for a single attempt. When it seemed Lando Norris had everything ready to take pole, George Russell managed to complete an almost perfect lap and set the best time. The Briton beat the McLaren driver by just 41 thousandths, while Charles Leclerc took third place.
Thus, Russell will start from first position in the first and last Zandvoort Sprint. Norris will have Leclerc alongside him, while Antonelli will have to start from fifth place after a qualifying session that began with much higher expectations for the Mercedes leader.
The Sprint race will take place tomorrow and will offer a last chance for Zandvoort to write a page in Formula 1 history. After decades as part of the championship and having regained its place on the calendar in 2021, the Dutch circuit will face its farewell with a format it has never hosted before. Russell will now have the opportunity to turn this unprecedented pole into Zandvoort's first Sprint victory and leave his name on the last page of the category's history at this track.
