Zandvoort, Netherlands, August 22, 2026: George Russell secured pole position for the Sprint at the 2026 FIA Formula 1 Dutch Grand Prix, edging McLaren’s Lando Norris by just 0.041 seconds in a thrilling Sprint Qualifying session at Zandvoort.

The Mercedes driver delivered when it mattered most in SQ3, setting a benchmark of 1:11.567 to claim his third Sprint pole of the 2026 Formula 1 season. Russell had not topped either of the opening segments, but produced the fastest lap when the leading drivers made their final runs.

Norris came within touching distance of Russell, recording a 1:11.608 for McLaren, while Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc was just 0.055 seconds off pole in third. Oscar Piastri completed the top four with a 1:11.666, meaning less than a tenth of a second separated the first four drivers.

Russell Beats Norris in Tight SQ3 Battle

The battle for Sprint pole remained wide open throughout the final qualifying segment, with the top four covered by just 0.099 seconds.

Russell’s 1:11.567 ultimately proved enough to put the Mercedes driver at the front of the grid, while Norris settled for second. Leclerc continued Ferrari’s strong showing in third, ahead of championship-leading McLaren driver Piastri.

Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli qualified fifth with a 1:11.794, 0.227 seconds behind his team-mate. Antonelli’s session was particularly impressive considering he had sustained floor damage during an excursion at the penultimate corner in SQ1.

Home favourite Max Verstappen qualified sixth for Red Bull, ahead of Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton in seventh.

Pierre Gasly put Alpine eighth on the Sprint grid, narrowly ahead of Audi’s Gabriel Bortoleto. Racing Bulls rookie Arvid Lindblad completed the top 10 after progressing into SQ3.

Lawson Misses SQ3 by 0.009 Seconds

Red Bull stand-in driver Liam Lawson narrowly missed out on the final qualifying segment, finishing SQ2 in 11th.

Lawson, deputising for the injured Isack Hadjar, was just 0.009 seconds ahead of Racing Bulls returnee Yuki Tsunoda, who qualified 12th.

Franco Colapinto was 13th for Alpine, followed by Audi’s Nico Hülkenberg and Haas driver Esteban Ocon. Williams’ Alexander Albon was the final SQ2 elimination in 16th.

Leclerc had initially set the pace in SQ1 before Piastri moved to the top in SQ2, setting up a closely fought final segment between Mercedes, McLaren and Ferrari.

Sainz and Alonso Face Difficult Sessions

Oliver Bearman ended SQ1 in 17th for Haas after improving late in the session, but his lap was only enough to put him 0.010 seconds ahead of Williams driver Carlos Sainz.

Sainz had also encountered floor damage during the earlier practice session and could only qualify 18th.

Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll was 19th, while Cadillac drivers Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Pérez qualified 20th and 21st respectively.

Fernando Alonso endured the most difficult session of the field, qualifying 22nd for Aston Martin with a 1:16.014.

Alonso locked up at Turn 1 and was also hampered by an issue with the Straight Line Mode on his rear wing. The problem prevented him from taking full advantage of a tow on his final qualifying attempt.

2026 Dutch GP Sprint Qualifying Results

Russell will now lead the field into the Dutch Grand Prix Sprint at Zandvoort, with Norris alongside him on the front row and Leclerc and Piastri starting directly behind. With the leading four separated by less than a tenth of a second in Sprint Qualifying, the short-format race promises another closely contested battle at the Dutch circuit.