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Norris seals Zandvoort pole as Perez drops to pit lane
Lando Norris secured his second consecutive pole position at Zandvoort, while Sergio Perez faced a pit lane start following post-qualifying modifications.
By Michael de Vries - 2026-08-23T12:01:13.000Z - 2 min read
Reigning Formula 1 world champion Lando Norris delivered a commanding performance during Saturday qualifying at Zandvoort to secure pole position for the Dutch Grand Prix. The McLaren driver edged out George Russell by just 0.103 seconds in a closely contested session that kept the front-running contenders separated by razor-thin margins. Championship leader Andrea Kimi Antonelli completed the top three for Mercedes, finishing a mere 0.133 seconds off the pace set by the pacesetting McLaren.
Behind the leading trio, Oscar Piastri locked out the second row by taking fourth position in the sister McLaren. Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton salvaged a fifth-place start for Ferrari after recovering from a precarious tenth-place standing during the closing moments of the final qualifying segment. The veteran British driver managed to outpace team-mate Charles Leclerc, who lined up directly behind him in sixth place as the Scuderia sought to maximize its race day points potential.
Max Verstappen headed up the Red Bull charge in seventh position, sharing the fourth row with temporary team-mate Liam Lawson. Further down the top ten, Gabriel Bortoleto claimed a strong ninth place for Audi, while Arvid Lindblad impressed by rounding out the top ten for the Racing Bulls squad. The competitive midfield order left little room for error as drivers navigated the undulating banking of the coastal circuit.
Aston Martin endured a difficult afternoon despite introducing a fresh Honda power unit upgrade. Both Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll struggled for fundamental pace and failed to advance beyond the opening segment of qualifying, leaving the team with an uphill battle on race day. The struggles highlighted ongoing developmental hurdles for the Silverstone-based outfit as the weekend progressed toward its main event.
Further complications arose at the back of the field as Cadillac elected to alter the rear suspension on Sergio Perez's car following the conclusion of qualifying. Because the adjustments violated standard parc ferme regulations, team management opted to forfeit his grid slot at the rear of the field. Perez was consequently consigned to start the grand prix from the pit lane, reducing the active grid to 21 cars for the lights-out sequence.
The remaining grid order saw Pierre Gasly line up eleventh for Alpine, ahead of Yuki Tsunoda and Nico Hulkenberg. Franco Colapinto, Esteban Ocon, and the Williams duo of Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz filled the subsequent rows, followed by the remaining Haas and Cadillac machines. With Norris controlling the prime real estate at the front and a long queue of hungry pursuers behind him, the stage was set for a tense tactical battle along the Dutch coast.