In a tightly contested qualifying session at the 2025 Formula 1 Dutch Grand Prix, McLaren‘s Oscar Piastri secured pole position by a razor-thin margin of 0.012 seconds over teammate Lando Norris. The session took place on a sunny day at Zandvoort‘s unique seaside circuit, where overnight rain had initially reduced track grip. Piastri’s narrow victory added a fifth pole to his season tally, pushing him ahead of Norris, who trails by nine championship points.
Decisive Moments in Qualifying Q3
Despite Norris showing stronger pace throughout the weekend, Piastri stole the spotlight during the first run of the top 10 shootout, posting a 1m08.662s lap time. This was accomplished with slightly faster first and third sector times compared to Norris. Both drivers were unable to improve on their final attempts, solidifying Piastri’s pole position and reinforcing McLaren’s commanding presence at the front of the grid.
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen pushed hard but could only manage third, falling 0.263 seconds behind Piastri on his best lap. Mercedes’ George Russell qualified fifth after being edged out by Isack Hadjar of Racing Bulls, who impressed with a strong second lap to claim fourth and secure a place on the second row alongside Verstappen.
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes locked out sixth and seventh respectively. Hamilton made a promising start by narrowly leading Leclerc on the first run but could not improve on his final lap. Closing out the top ten were Liam Lawson in the second Racing Bulls car, along with Williams’ Carlos Sainz and Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso.
Q2 Highlights and Surprising Eliminations
During Q2, Norris initially paced the session with a 1m08.874s lap, just edging out Piastri. Max Verstappen was third, trailing by approximately a quarter of a second. Fernando Alonso successfully defended his position, climbing into the top ten on his second run by finding the crucial 0.005 seconds required for progression. Lawson and Hadjar also advanced, displacing some younger talents.
Andrea Kimi Antonelli and Yuki Tsunoda were the notable victims of Q2 elimination, as their lap times narrowly missed the cut. Antonelli finished just 0.019 seconds shy of Sainz, denying the young Italian a place in Q3 for the first time this season. Alongside them, Sauber rookie Gabriel Bortoleto, Alpine’s Pierre Gasly, and Alex Albon, who expressed frustration over Williams’ tyre choices, also exited the qualifying battle at this stage.
Challenges and Incidents in Q1
McLaren continued their strong form from the outset in Q1, with Piastri again fastest, slightly ahead of Norris. George Russell just edged out Max Verstappen to hold third place, with a narrow margin over the latter. Yuki Tsunoda faced pressure once more but advanced to Q2, avoiding what would have been his fifth Q1 elimination this year. Alpine’s Franco Colapinto was marginally slower, missing out on progression to Q2.
Rookie Gabriel Bortoleto outqualified his experienced teammate Nico Hulkenberg for the fifth consecutive time in regular qualifying sessions, finishing ahead of the Haas drivers Esteban Ocon and Oliver Bearman. Unfortunately, Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll suffered his second crash of the weekend at Turn 3 during Q1, after losing control at Turn 13 and hitting the barriers, resulting in no recorded time for the session.
The penultimate Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort, which is scheduled to be dropped from the Formula 1 calendar after 2026, is set to begin at 15:00 local time on Sunday.
Final Qualifying Times and Grid Positions
Oscar Piastri’s pole-winning lap stood at 1’08.662, just 0.012 seconds faster than teammate Lando Norris who qualified second. Max Verstappen lined up third, followed by Isack Hadjar in fourth. George Russell took fifth, with Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton in sixth and seventh places respectively. Liam Lawson secured eighth, while Carlos Sainz and Fernando Alonso completed the top ten.
The Impact of McLaren’s Qualifying Domination
Piastri’s pole position solidifies his growing momentum in the 2025 season, extending his lead over Norris in the drivers’ standings and emphasizing McLaren’s resurgence as a dominant force. The narrow gap between teammates highlights their intense rivalry, which is likely to shape the rest of the championship battle. Meanwhile, performances from drivers such as Isack Hadjar and Liam Lawson showcase the potential of emerging talents challenging the established order.
With the Dutch Grand Prix offering a challenging circuit and a limited future place on the calendar, Sunday’s race promises to be a critical event for both the drivers and teams aiming to maximize their positions before Zandvoort’s eventual departure from Formula 1.
