Kimi Antonelli quickest in sole Dutch GP practice

Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli started the second half of the season with the fastest time in sole practice for the Dutch Grand Prix on Friday.

Championship leader Antonelli, who turns 20 next week, lapped the seaside Zandvoort circuit in a best time of one minute 12.949 seconds and was 0.121 clear of McLaren's reigning champion Lando Norris on a dry track after a rainy start to the day.

Norris, the 2024 winner at Zandvoort, was also first in Hungary before the August break, and McLaren are chasing a third Dutch GP win in a row.

The weekend is being run to the sprint format, with qualifying for Saturday's points-scoring 100km race later on Friday. Qualifying for Sunday's grand prix is on Saturday afternoon.

Mercedes’ George Russell was third fastest, 0.125 off the pace, with Lewis Hamilton, who is 50 points behind Antonelli in the championship after 11 rounds, fourth for Ferrari.

Hamilton was 0.190 slower than Antonelli, who spun 360 degrees with half an hour to go. His Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc finished fifth, ahead of McLaren's 2025 winner Oscar Piastri and Audi's Nico Hulkenberg.

Alpine's Pierre Gasly was eighth fastest at a circuit that is saying farewell to Formula One for the foreseeable future after Sunday's race.

Max Verstappen, four-time champion and home hero, finished only 11th, struggling with oversteer, while stand-in Red Bull teammate Liam Lawson was 14th; he was promoted from Racing Bulls after Isack Hadjar suffered a wrist injury.

Racing Bulls' Arvid Lindblad was only 10th fastest, and temporary teammate Yuki Tsunoda, the reserve taking the seat vacated by Lawson, was 17th.

Aston Martin showed an improved version with an upgraded Honda engine propelling Fernando Alonso to 12th. His teammate Lance Stroll was 18th.