Lando Norris expressed surprise at topping the pile after qualifying for the final Dutch Grand Prix for the foreseeable future. He had qualified second in the Sprint, just half a tenth of a second behind pole-sitter George Russell.
During the shorter Sprint race, Norris struggled with overheating rear tires and was jumped by Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc on lap 18 of 24. As team principal Andrea Stella explained, the setup of the car for the Sprint was loading up the rear axle too aggressively, prompting McLaren to soften the camber on the rear wheels prior to Grand Prix qualifying.
By reducing the camber, the contact patch of the tire on the asphalt was increased, thereby creating a larger surface area to spread the heat. The MCL40 appeared to be the quickest car through the high-speed section (Turns 7, 8, and 9), although it registered significantly lower figures through the speed trap.
Aerodynamic Setup vs. Straight-Line Speed
The six quickest cars through the speed trap were all Mercedes-powered, but Norris’ Mercedes-powered McLaren was down in P13 in that metric. Across the start-finish line, the statistics were somewhat different, with the four Red Bull Powertrains-backed cars at the head of the field.
Clearly, Norris and McLaren opted for a higher-downforce setup on the twisty coastal circuit, a factor George Russell noted in his post-qualifying interviews.
“I think we’re in a great place, to be honest,” Russell told assembled media. “Obviously, we’ve got Kimi and I in P2 and P3. So, it gives us an opportunity to put Lando under a bit of pressure strategically, and I think we probably have a slightly faster race car than those guys.
“I think, as Lando said, they look very strong in the high-speed corners, but on a track like this with high tire degradation, you can’t really utilize that performance as much in the race because it puts too much stress on the tires.
“So, I think it will come toward us. Ferrari is a little bit further down the order than we would have expected. I think they would have been the biggest threat. So yeah, it’s game on.”
Ferrari Upgrades and Strategy Considerations
Ferrari is off the pace this weekend, but will introduce an engine upgrade under ADUO rules for Monza next time out. The Italian media suggests the upgraded unit will feature a heavily revised turbocharger alongside improved lubrication management, adding roughly 15 bhp to the SF-26.
In Zandvoort, tire management is crucial given the extreme loads created by the banked sections. Turn 3 and Turn 14 feature steep banking at 19 and 18 degrees respectively—a steeper gradient than the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
While the theoretically fastest way to complete the Grand Prix is a two-stop strategy—allowing drivers to push the tires to their thermal limits—track position remains vital. Four of the past five races at the circuit have been won from pole position, with Max Verstappen breaking that trend last season by winning from P2.
For Norris, his car utilizes a compromise setup designed to maximize the MCL40’s ability to carry speed through high-speed turns while protecting against thermal buildup in the tires.
Race Strategy and Weather Factors
In Saturday’s Sprint, Charles Leclerc was the only driver to start on the red-walled soft tire. Despite anticipated degradation, the compound held up well, enabling him to make a move on Norris after 18 laps of flat-out racing. This performance could prompt several drivers to start the Grand Prix on the C4 soft compound to gain positions on lap one at a venue where overtaking is notoriously difficult.
Pirelli claims the optimum dry strategy is starting on the medium tire, opening a pit window between laps 26 and 35 for a transition to the hard compound to run to the finish. However, a downpour roughly 25 minutes prior to the start of the Grand Prix led race control to declare wet conditions, forcing teams onto Pirelli intermediate tires.
The rain initially fell mostly across the second half of the circuit, with Kimi Antonelli reporting that sector one remained manageable on slick tires. While strategy teams worked late into the night mapping potential scenarios, static plans will change should track conditions remain damp.
Off the track, Max Verstappen utilized his home race weekend to announce a contract extension that will keep him at Red Bull through 2030. Addressing speculation linking Verstappen to a Mercedes seat, Toto Wolff joked to Viaplay: “We have the best of him—he’s driving our Mercedes in the really important races,” referencing Verstappen’s GT3 outings at the Nürburgring Nordschleife before concluding, “So he’s staying in the family.”
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A.J. Hunt is Senior Editor at TJ13, where Andrew oversees editorial standards and contributes to the site’s Formula 1 coverage. A career journalist with experience in both print and digital sports media, Andrew trained in investigative journalism and has written for a range of European sports outlets.
At TJ13, Andrew plays a central role in shaping the site’s output, working across breaking news, analysis, and long-form features. Andrew’s responsibilities include fact-checking, refining editorial structure, and ensuring consistency in reporting across a fast-moving news cycle.
Andrew’s work focuses particularly on the intersection of Formula 1 politics, regulation, and team strategy. Andrew closely follows developments involving the FIA, team leadership, and driver market dynamics, helping to provide context behind the sport’s biggest stories.
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