Key takeaways
- Front-row return: George Russell acknowledged Lando Norris’s single-lap superiority after missing out on pole for the Dutch Grand Prix by 0.102 seconds.
- Personal turnaround: The Mercedes driver expressed satisfaction with his performance, stating he feels “like myself again” following a difficult stretch of races prior to the summer shutdown.
- Victory target: Building on his earlier Sprint victory, Russell confirmed his intention to challenge McLaren for the win on Sunday.
George Russell praised Lando Norris’s performance while approving Mercedes’ front-row result in Saturday’s qualifying for the Dutch Grand Prix. After securing 2nd place on the grid, the Briton emphasized his personal recovery following a challenging stretch of races prior to Formula 1’s summer shutdown.
Russell finished just 0.102 seconds behind Norris in Q3. While he felt Mercedes had the latent pace to contend for pole position, the #63 driver expressed satisfaction with the front-row start as a foundation for the second half of the 2026 season.
“Lando did a great job, so congrats to him and McLaren. It was a strong session,” Russell stated. “I thought we had it in there to fight for pole, but I’m pretty satisfied with P2, especially going back after such a tough last few races before the break, sort of get in my groove again and try to fight with them tomorrow.”
George Russell won the Sprint race and qualified 2nd for Sunday (Photo: Reproduction/F1)
Russell’s optimism builds on a successful weekend so far. After setting the fastest time in Friday’s Sprint Qualifying, he went on to win Saturday morning’s Sprint race without serious threat.
“I feel in a good place and just sort of feel myself again, which is really important,” Russell admitted. “It was really nice to drive around here, and these cooler temperatures made the track feel really fast. So, it was a real joy for us all to drive, and looking forward to the race.”
Formula 1 action continues at Zandvoort on Sunday 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 |
| 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
- Race: Sunday, August 23 – 09:00 ET
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
1. Where will George Russell start the 2026 Dutch Grand Prix?
George Russell will start 2nd on the front row alongside pole-sitter Lando Norris.
2. How did George Russell perform in Saturday’s Zandvoort Sprint race?
Russell led every lap from pole position to win the 24-lap Sprint race for Mercedes.
3. What was the lap time gap between Norris and Russell in qualifying?
Norris took pole position by 0.102 seconds over Russell.
