Key takeaways
- Mixed Ferrari fortunes: Team principal Frédéric Vasseur highlighted contrasting qualifying sessions for Scuderia Ferrari in Zandvoort, praising Charles Leclerc’s “best lap of the year” while addressing Lewis Hamilton’s balance issues.
- Front-row proximity: Leclerc missed Sprint pole to George Russell by just 0.055s, lining up third behind Lando Norris.
- Setup refinement needed: Vasseur confirmed Ferrari will work on fine-tuning Hamilton’s SF-26 setup to recover pace ahead of main Qualifying.
Ferrari team principal Frédéric Vasseur provided a candid review of the team’s mixed Sprint Qualifying performance at Circuit Zandvoort, noting that while Charles Leclerc put the SF-26 on the brink of pole position, Lewis Hamilton suffered from balance issues in SQ3.
Leclerc pushed eventual Sprint pole-sitter George Russell to the limit, ending up just 0.055s behind the Mercedes driver to secure 3rd on the grid. In contrast, Hamilton—who had placed 4th in the morning practice session—could only manage 7th with a best time of 1:12.191, finishing over six tenths adrift of the top benchmark.
Speaking after the session, Vasseur pointed out the subtle differences that impacted both drivers following the introduction of Ferrari’s updated floor package in Zandvoort.
“Charles delivered a strong performance, qualifying just a few hundredths off pole. It was a very good lap where he managed to put everything together,” Vasseur stated. “The session was more difficult for Lewis after a very strong start in free practice this morning. He wasn’t able to put a clean lap together in SQ3, and we need to work on the car’s balance to improve tomorrow.”
Hamilton’s setup adjustments after FP1 altered the car’s behavior significantly, a factor Vasseur and his engineering staff aim to address before setup parc fermé reopens following Saturday’s Sprint race.
Formula 1 action continues at Zandvoort with Saturday’s Sprint race, followed by main Qualifying for the 2026 Dutch Grand Prix. GRANDE PRÊMIO covers all track activities live from Zandvoort with reporter Leonid Kliuev. Follow all paddock updates on our news page.
Session schedule: Dutch Grand Prix 2026
| Session | Local time (CEST) | UTC |
| Sprint Race | Saturday, August 22 – 12:00 | 10:00 |
| Qualifying | Saturday, August 22 – 16:00 | 14:00 |
| Race | Sunday, August 23 – 15:00 | 13:00 |
Broadcast guide: Where to watch in the United States
- United States (Eastern Time / ET)
- Broadcaster: Apple TV
- Sprint Race: Saturday, August 22 – 06:00 ET
- Qualifying: Saturday, August 22 – 10:00 ET
- Race: Sunday, August 23 – 09:00 ET
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
1. Where will Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton start the Dutch GP Sprint?
Charles Leclerc will start 3rd, while Lewis Hamilton lines up 7th on the Sprint grid.
2. What did Vasseur say about Hamilton’s qualifying struggles?
Vasseur noted that Hamilton struggled to put together a clean lap in SQ3 due to setup and balance issues after a strong practice session.
3. Did Ferrari bring performance upgrades to Zandvoort?
Yes, Ferrari introduced an updated floor specification alongside new power unit exhaust components for both drivers.
