Kimi Antonelli made an immediate statement as Formula 1 roared back to life after the summer break. The young Mercedes driver topped the only practice session of the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort on Friday (August 29, 2025), clocking a 1:12.949 to edge out his rivals.
Indeed, this weekend at the North Sea coast marks the start of the second half of the season. There is no room for warm-up—just 60 minutes of practice before sprint qualifying later today. Antonelli showcased his pace on this challenging circuit.
Kimi Antonelli was a tenth and a half clear of Lando Norris in second place. Lewis Hamilton, who had a moment in the gravel, had to settle for third. Still, Mercedes' performance in this session looked solid.
Behind them, Charles Leclerc grabbed fourth with a late improvement, while George Russell slipped to fifth after briefly holding third. The fight among the top drivers is expected to be fierce in the sprint.
This session also marked the return of Liam Lawson to Red Bull, replacing the injured Isack Hadjar. Yuki Tsunoda moved to Racing Bulls. However, neither could break into the top 10, nor could Max Verstappen, who enters his home event with a fresh contract extension.
Audi impressed with both cars in the top 10 on the medium tyre—Nico Hulkenberg seventh and Gabriel Bortoleto ninth. Pierre Gasly, carrying a substantial upgrade for Alpine, slotted between them. Rookie Arvid Lindblad rounded out the top 10 for Racing Bulls.
Sprint qualifying for the Dutch GP kicks off at 16:30 local time. Can Antonelli hold onto his momentum? Let's find out.
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