Sport

Lando Norris claims pole position for Dutch GP in Zandvoort

Lando Norris has secured pole position for the Dutch Grand Prix, setting the fastest lap time in Zandvoort.

23 August 2026Tagblick Newsdesk

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Lando Norris claims pole position for Dutch GP in Zandvoort — Photo: Liauzh · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 4.0

Lando Norris claimed pole position for the Dutch Grand Prix in Zandvoort on Saturday. The McLaren driver recorded a time of 1:11.163 minutes during qualifying, making him the top favorite for the race on Sunday. Norris' time was 0.102 seconds faster than that of George Russell, who secured second place for Mercedes.

According to reports from multiple news sources, Kimi Antonelli, his teammate at Mercedes, took third place, finishing 0.133 seconds behind Norris. Local favorite Max Verstappen qualified seventh, marking his worst qualifying result in the Netherlands, forcing him to relinquish pole position to Norris.

Norris achieved his second consecutive pole position, having previously set the fastest time in Hungary before the summer break. The McLaren driver expressed surprise at the results, especially considering the challenging conditions on the technical Zandvoort circuit, where incoming rain added an extra factor.

Archive photo: Lando Norris claims pole position for Dutch GP in Zandvoort — Archive photoPhoto: Renzopaso · Flickr · BY-SA

During qualifying, both Spaniards, Fernando Alonso and Carlos Sainz, were eliminated in Q1, starting respectively in seventeenth and eighteenth place. Their performances did not align with expectations for the weekend, resulting in disappointment for the fans.

The race will begin on Sunday at 15:00, with Norris considered the main contender for victory. He will face the pressure to convert his strong qualifying result into a race win.

Verstappen's disappointment over his seventh place is particularly poignant, given that this represents his final appearance in the Netherlands as a Formula 1 driver. He will be hoping for a strong performance despite this setback in the starting grid.

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