George Russell Wins Dutch GP Sprint To Cut Antonelli's F1 Lead

George Russell after race 

George Russell wins final Dutch GP Sprint as Max Verstappen finishes sixth At Zandvoort. Leclerc beats Norris. 

Russell wins Dutch sprint as F1 title fight tightens...

Mercedes’ George Russell won the Dutch Grand Prix sprint race on Saturday. Starting from pole, he cut into teammate Kimi Antonelli’s lead in the drivers’ standings.

Russell made a clean start and led every lap of the 24-lap sprint. He crossed the line 1.36 seconds ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc in second.

The duel between Leclerc and reigning world champion Lando Norris stole the show. On lap 18, the Ferrari driver pulled off a thrilling straight-line pass to get ahead of the McLaren.  

After the rain came down on the final lap, Russell commented: “Obviously great start to the weekend. If it was one more lap, it would have been a very potentially different end to the race so glad the rain came when it did.”

Norris, who reported issues with the rear of his McLaren, finished third. He narrowly held off teenage rookie Antonelli for the final podium spot.

Norris was blunt about his race: “I just don't have the pace. There's nothing we can do.”

Antonelli lined up fifth after going off into the gravel in qualifying and damaging his Mercedes’ floor.  

He made up one spot at the start by passing McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and finished fourth, with the Australian crossing the line in fifth.  

Home favorite Max Verstappen couldn’t gain any places. The Dutchman, who just extended his Red Bull deal to 2030, finished sixth.  

He put on a show for the Zandvoort crowd with a close fight against seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton, a clash between two F1 legends.

The drivers will now turn their focus to qualifying later Saturday for Sunday’s GP, which is expected to be wide open.  

There is almost nothing between the top three teams - Mercedes, Ferrari, and McLaren - and Verstappen in a Red Bull can never be discounted at his home race.

The #F1Sprint points scorers!👇#F1 #DutchGP @Gatorade pic.twitter.com/Rcqo2KJv8j

— Formula 1 (@F1) August 22, 2026

After the sprint, Antonelli leads Hamilton by 53 points. But with form shifting, that advantage could shrink before the season ends.

Sunday’s Grand Prix will be the final Dutch GP since Zandvoort returned to the F1 calendar in 2021.  

Despite strong crowds turning out to see Verstappen, organizers have ended the race, citing financial risk as too high.