F1 2025 | Dutch Grand Prix Qualifying Recap: McLaren untouchable at Verstappen's home ground

Formula One resumed after a month off for the summer break but the on-track results remained the same as current championship leader Oscar Piastri handed McLaren yet another pole position, with Lando Norris making it a 1-2 for the British team at Netherlands.

Norris also broke the lap record at Zandvoort in Q2, while home hero Max Verstappen was only able to get to P3 with his best effort. If you missed the Dutch Grand Prix 2025 qualifying session, here’s a quick recap.

Q1 – Double whammy for Haas; Stroll’s nightmare weekend continues

While the McLarens continued from where they left off in the Free Practice sessions, it was Lance Stroll once again with the big headline early on. A big crash from the Canadian once again, after his FP2 crash hurt his chances to get through. 

While the pack closed up with only 0.924s separating the 19 cars, it was both Haas’, Franco Colapinto, Nico Hülkenberg and Lance Stroll failing to get out of Q1. 

Drivers eliminated in Q1:

Franco Colapinto
Nico Hülkenberg
Esteban Ocon
Ollie Bearman
Lance Stroll

Q2 – Norris creates a lap record at Zandvoort; Mercedes, Red Bull unable to make it double for Q3

The Ferraris were the first two cars out to get qualifying session 2 underway with Leclerc’s 1:10.034s being the early benchmark with his teammate, Lewis Hamilton, 0.106s behind. Leclerc was quickly dispatched from the top as home hero, Max Verstappen went P1 with a 1:09.122s. 

Norris created a lap record at Zandvoort with his first flying run, putting in a stunning 1:08.874s, to once again retake his position at the top of the table. His teammate, Oscar Piastri was unable to touch him, being 0.090s slower. 

As the flag dropped it was Sauber’s Gabriel Bortoleto, Yuki Tsunoda, Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli, Pierre Gasly and Alex Albon missing out to make the final top 10 shootout

Drivers eliminated in Q2:

Kimi Antonelli
Yuki Tsunoda
Gabriel Tsunoda
Pierre Gasly
Alex Albon

Q3 – Piastri on top as Norris unable to match teammate

The McLaren’s were setting the benchmark once again, this time to get qualifying session 3 underway with Oscar Piastri taking provisional pole from his teammate, with a 1:08.662s, 0.012s quicker than Lando Norris. Verstappen’s first run put him in third place, 0.386s behind Norris with Mercedes’ George Russell being 0.2s behind the reigning world champion. 

As the cars put in their final laps, Piastri was unable to go quicker and neither did his teammate, Lando Norris, be able to take pole position. Verstappen did better his time but was unable to touch the McLarens while VCARB’s Isack Hadjar put in a sublime final lap to pip George Russell for fourth.

Starting grid for the Dutch Grand Prix 2025 (before penalties applied):

1. Oscar Piastri
2. Lando Norris
3. Max Verstappen
4. Isack Hadjar
5. George Russell
6. Charles Leclerc
7. Lewis Hamilton
8. Liam Lawson
9. Carlos Sainz
10. Fernando Alonso
11. Kimi Antonelli
12. Yuki Tsunoda
13. Gabriel Tsunoda
14. Pierre Gasly
15. Alex Albon
16. Franco Colapinto
17. Nico Hülkenberg
18. Esteban Ocon
19. Ollie Bearman
20. Lance Stroll