Kimi Antonelli hit the ground running as the summer break came to an end. The Mercedes driver topped the first free practice session (FP1) for the 2026 Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort with a 1:12.949, a tenth clear of his nearest rival.
Lando Norris of McLaren was the closest chaser, just 0.121s behind, followed by Antonelli's teammate George Russell, who was only 0.125s adrift. The trio looked strong from the start, hinting at a fierce battle that fans have been eagerly awaiting.
Ferrari also impressed. Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc locked out positions four and five, 0.190s and 0.289s off the pace respectively. Oscar Piastri in the other McLaren ensured both cars were in the top six, signaling potential fireworks in qualifying.
On the flip side, Yuki Tsunoda had to settle for 17th on his F1 comeback in 2026 with Racing Bulls. His time of 1:15.110, more than two seconds off Antonelli, gives the Japanese driver plenty of homework before the next session.
Max Verstappen, racing in front of his home crowd, could only manage 11th for Red Bull. It's a sign that the Austrian team still has work to do on setup at a track where Verstappen has often excelled.
With the field so tightly packed at the front, FP1 suggests the 2026 Dutch GP will be a closely contested affair. All eyes now turn to FP2 and qualifying to see who dares to push harder.
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Kimi Antonelli memuncaki latihan bebas GP Belanda 2026, mengungguli Norris dan Russell. Verstappen kesulitan dengan understeer, Lawson beradaptasi dengan RB22.
Hasil FP1 GP Belanda 2026: Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) tercepat di Zandvoort, mengungguli Lando Norris. Verstappen kesal dengan masalah downshift Red Bull.
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