Piastri on pole as McLaren lock out front row for Dutch GP at Zandvoort

The 2025 Formula 1 Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort promises an intriguing race day following a closely contested qualifying session, with McLaren locking out the front row and a blend of confidence and caution across the grid. 

The topsy-turvy Dutch weather on the last day of the European summer, and a tricky circuit layout are set to add further layers of unpredictability to Sunday’s action.

McLaren's Front Row Dominance 

McLaren's Oscar Piastri secured his fifth pole position of the season – the most for any driver in 2025 – setting a new outright Zandvoort track record with a time of 1m 08.662s. Piastri described his pole lap as the definition of peaking at the right time, feeling that the team had done a great job in putting the car in a strong position. 

His teammate, Lando Norris, narrowly missed pole by just 0.012s, securing second place on the grid. While admitting he was a little bit disappointed not to be on pole, Norris remained confident in McLaren’s race pace, acknowledging it as one of their strengths. 

Meanwhile, Team Principal Andrea Stella praised both drivers for their solid performances in tricky conditions.

Verstappen and Hadjar on the Second Row 

Home hero Max Verstappen of Red Bull will start third, a result he was very happy with despite a challenging weekend for Red Bull as far as grip and balance goes. 

Verstappen noted that qualifying was the best he’d felt all weekend, following significant overnight setup changes. As is his competitive nature, he aims to keep the rest of the cars behind him in the race and target a podium, acknowledging that a win would require a bit of luck. 

Joining him on the second row is Racing Bulls rookie Isack Hadjar, who delivered a career-best qualifying performance to claim an impressive fourth. 

Hadjar said that he felt super happy and admitted that he really did not expect the result. He did say that he is feeling confident in the car's potential for strong race pace.

Midfield Battles and Strategic Outlook 

The grid behind the top four remains incredibly tight. Mercedes’ George Russell qualified fifth, admitting he was a bit disappointed but hopeful that their long run pace felt good, and could put them in contention for a podium. 

Ferrari drivers Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton will start sixth and seventh respectively. Leclerc described a difficult weekend overall but says that he hopes to leverage strategy to pick his way through the field, while Hamilton, making his first Q3 appearance since Silverstone, found the weekend more enjoyable.

For the uninformed, Formula One qualifying is split into three sessions: The first qualifying run (Q1) features all 20 cars, with the slowest five eliminated; Q2 sees the remaining 15 compete, with another five dropped at the end of this round, and Q3 is the final showdown, where the top 10 drivers fight for pole position and the best grid spots.

Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls) will start eighth, while Carlos Sainz (Williams) qualified ninth, navigating a day where he felt performance dropped as track temperatures rose. 

Veteran Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) rounds out the top 10, despite feeling a lack of pace compared to Friday.

Lower down the grid, Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) missed Q3 by a small margin due to a little mistake, starting 11th. Yuki Tsunoda (Red Bull) was disappointed and frustrated with P12, while Alex Albon (Williams) cited tyre issues for his P15. 

Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) will start last after a crash in Q1 left him with too much damage.

Strategy and Weather: Wildcards for Sunday 

Race strategy will be a key factor, with Pirelli indicating that a two-stop strategy has a slight advantage in terms of overall time. However, track position is paramount at Zandvoort, meaning a single stop, likely a Medium-to-Hard tyre approach, is the most anticipated strategy, also providing flexibility for potential rain or Safety Cars.

The pit lane speed limit has been increased from 60 to 80 km/h, reducing pit stop times and potentially influencing strategic options. The circuit itself is notoriously difficult for overtaking, putting immense pressure on starting positions and strategic execution.

Adding to the complexity is the persistent risk of unsettled weather, with rain forecast for Sunday morning, which could bring another layer of "jeopardy" to the race. This could truly spice up what is already set to be a tightly contested Dutch Grand Prix.