The 2025 Dutch Grand Prix kicked off with a relatively subdued first practice session at Zandvoort. After the summer break, teams appear focused more on the looming 2026 regulation overhaul than on major updates for this season.
The FIA’s technical update sheet reflected the calm tone:
- Red Bull Racing brought a new front wing.
- Alpine introduced a revised rear corner.
- Sauber also updated their rear corner.
FP1 Classification
- Lando Norris – 1:10.278
- Oscar Piastri
- Lance Stroll
- Fernando Alonso
- Alexander Albon
- Max Verstappen
- George Russell
- Carlos Sainz
- Gabriel Bortoleto
- Pierre Gasly
Analysis
McLaren once again set the standard. Lando Norris led the way with a 1:10.278, piecing together the fastest sectors in the middle and final parts of the lap. Oscar Piastri slotted into second, confirming the team’s dominance at high-downforce venues and underlining why McLaren remain the reference point in 2025.
Aston Martin provided the surprise of the session. Lance Stroll’s third and Fernando Alonso’s fourth placed the AMR25 firmly in podium contention. The car’s drag-heavy nature continues to limit its performance at low-downforce venues like Spa, but on twisty circuits such as Zandvoort and Hungary, it comes alive. The performance also reinforces that Aston Martin themselves still don’t fully understand why the package works on some weekends and not others. For now, though, the characteristics of Zandvoort suit them perfectly, and the idea of a long-awaited “Strodium” no longer feels fanciful.
Ferrari’s session, by contrast, showed the frustrations of a team still unsettled. Lewis Hamilton’s 360° spin at Turn 3 was spectacular but telling, underlining how unstable the SF-25 looks on the limit. He gathered it up without damage, yet it was symptomatic of a car that remains quick in bursts but inconsistent overall. Charles Leclerc, meanwhile, struggled to string together a competitive lap and failed to reach the top ten, a sign that balance issues still plague the Scuderia. Despite their star power, Ferrari continue to wrestle with inconsistency.
Williams, by contrast, walked away from FP1 satisfied. Alexander Albon impressed with fifth, continuing to extract the maximum from the FW47, while Carlos Sainz finished eighth, keeping both cars in the top ten. The result shows Williams’ transformation into a steady upper-midfield force, capable of regularly challenging more resourced rivals.
Mercedes endured a mixed session. George Russell put in a steady drive for seventh, but rookie Kimi Antonelli suffered a difficult debut at Zandvoort, beaching his car in the gravel and triggering a red flag. The incident was a harsh but familiar lesson for a rookie: Zandvoort punishes understeer and small mistakes instantly. For Mercedes, the gap to the front remains obvious: Russell delivered consistency, but the W16 still lacks the outright pace to threaten McLaren or Aston Martin.
Red Bull had an uncharacteristic wobble with Max Verstappen nearly clipping the barriers after a practice start into Turn 1. The home favorite pushed deep on cold tyres, locking up as he rehearsed for the aggressive launches he’s known for. It was a moment that highlighted his intent but also carried the risk of damaging the floor before FP2.
Further back, Gabriel Bortoleto’s ninth place for Sauber and Pierre Gasly’s tenth for Alpine rounded out the top ten, small but meaningful results for teams looking to claw midfield points.
Track Facts – Circuit Zandvoort
- Location: Zandvoort, Netherlands
- Race Laps: 72
- Lap Length: 4.259 km
- Race Distance: 306.648 km
- Lap Record: 1:11.097 – Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes), 2021
- 2024 Pole Position: 1:09.673 – Lando Norris (McLaren)
- 2024 Race Winner: Lando Norris (McLaren)
- 2024 Fastest Lap: 1:13.817 – Lando Norris (McLaren)
Takeaway
FP1 at Zandvoort confirmed much of the current narrative in Formula 1. McLaren remain the team to beat, Aston Martin’s high-downforce strengths put them firmly in podium contention, Ferrari are still unsettled despite Hamilton’s experience, and Williams continue their steady rise as a consistent top-ten threat. Mercedes, meanwhile, remain caught between reliability and fragility, with Antonelli’s gravel moment underscoring the steep rookie learning curve. Even Red Bull weren’t flawless, Verstappen’s near miss at Turn 1 showing that execution, not upgrades, will define this weekend.