Russell wins Dutch GP sprint to close on Antonelli in F1 title fight

Live Russell wins Dutch GP sprint to close on Antonelli in F1 title fight Last updated 22 August 2026 1:59pm BST Save Share article Log in or Subscribe Copy link X Icon twitter Facebook Icon facebook WhatsApp Icon whatsapp email Add us as preferred source Add us as preferred source Copy link X Icon twitter Facebook Icon facebook WhatsApp Icon whatsapp email Key moments Sprint report Russell wins Dutch GP sprint to close on Antonelli in F1 title fight Expand all George Russell won the sprint race from pole at Zandvoort Credit: Simon Wohlfahrt/Getty Images Luke Slater live updates, at Zandvoort Last updated 22 August 2026 1:59pm BST Save Share article Log in or Subscribe Copy link X Icon twitter Facebook Icon facebook WhatsApp Icon whatsapp email Add us as preferred source Add us as preferred source Copy link X Icon twitter Facebook Icon facebook WhatsApp Icon whatsapp email Key moments Sprint report Russell wins Dutch GP sprint to close on Antonelli in F1 title fight Expand all George Russell converted his sprint pole position into victory at Zandvoort and reduced his championship deficit to leader and Mercedes team-mate Kimi Antonelli. Russell trailed the Italian by 59 points heading into the summer break but managed to reduce that to 56 after taking his third sprint win of 2026. Russell led from the start and was under pressure from both Lando Norris of McLaren and later Charles Leclerc in the Ferrari. Neither man was ever close enough, however, to try an overtake and Russell finished with eight points. In a fairly sedate race, other than on lap one, the only overtake was Leclerc, the only driver on the soft tyres in the top 10, moving ahead of Norris for second at turn one. Antonelli managed to make up one place on his starting position of fifth to limit the damage to Russell as the drivers head into qualifying later today. Oscar Piastri was fifth for McLaren, Max Verstappen sixth for Red Bull and Lewis Hamilton finished seventh, where he started. Pierre Gasly in the Alpine took the final point of the sprint. Qualifying for tomorrow’s Dutch Grand Prix begins at 3pm today. Latest updates Luke Slater live updates, at Zandvoort 1:57PM Russell wins Dutch GP sprint to close on Antonelli in F1 title fight Link copied to clipboard Credit: Jordan McKean/Getty Images George Russell converted his sprint pole position into victory at Zandvoort and reduced his championship deficit to leader and Mercedes team-mate Kimi Antonelli. Russell trailed the Italian by 59 points heading into the summer break but managed to reduce that to 56 after taking his third sprint win of 2026. Russell led from the start and was under pressure from both Lando Norris of McLaren and later Charles Leclerc in the Ferrari. Neither man was ever close enough, however, to try an overtake and Russell finished with eight points. In a fairly sedate race, other than on lap one, the only overtake was Leclerc, the only driver on the soft tyres in the top 10, moving ahead of Norris for second at turn one. Antonelli managed to make up one place on his starting position of fifth to limit the damage to Russell as the drivers head into qualifying later today. Oscar Piastri was fifth for McLaren, Max Verstappen sixth for Red Bull and Lewis Hamilton finished seventh, where he started. Pierre Gasly in the Alpine took the final point of the sprint. Qualifying for tomorrow’s Dutch Grand Prix begins at 3pm today. 11:54AM That’s it from the sprint race Link copied to clipboard Qualifying for tomorrow’s grand prix starts at 3pm BST, so we will restart this blog in a couple of hours.  11:43AM Russell on a third sprint win of 2026 Link copied to clipboard “Great start to the weekend, if it was one more lap it would have been potentially a very different end to the race. Glad the rain came when it did. It’s going to be a tight one this afternoon. I knew if there was going to be any overtakes it was going to be towards the end of the race... I wanted to have a bit more in the tank come the end of the race. As soon as I saw Charles behind I dropped the hammer a little bit and we pulled away. A few tickles here and there [to the set-up]...” 11:42AM Leclerc on a strong second Link copied to clipboard “Always when you are the only one doing something it’s either very right or very wrong. I think it was a good choice in the end. You just hope to have done the right choice. I knew Lando didn’t have much deployment on the main straight... we still arrived at the braking point more or less at the same level. I did not expect to gain positions at the end of the race with these tyres. The car is feeling good since FP1.” 11:40AM Norris speaks after his third place Link copied to clipboard “Not a bad result, not the best. Would have been nicer to be a little bit faster today but Charles was too fast today. I don’t think it was the tyres... we’re not quick enough and we have work to do. We are very good in high-speed, it’s just not performing to the level it needs to in the low-speed. It’s still a good result... we should be happy with the progress we are making.” 11:37AM It is chucking it down on the pit straight Link copied to clipboard Would have been a fun final few laps had it come earlier, but there you go.  The heavens have opened as the chequered flag falls! 🌧️#F1Sprint #DutchGP pic.twitter.com/gjzSjGvuRY — Formula 1 (@F1) August 22, 2026 11:35AM Dutch GP sprint race classification Link copied to clipboard RUS 8ptsLEC 7ptsNOR 6ptsANT 5ptsPIA 4ptsVER 3ptsHAM 2ptsGAS 1pt 11:34AM GEORGE RUSSELL WINS THE DUTCH GP SPRINT RACE Link copied to clipboard Just what he needed, a win. He makes up three points on team-mate Antonelli, who was fourth. Leclerc second, Norris third.  ...and now the rain falls as the chequered flag falls.  11:33AM FINAL LAP Link copied to clipboard Antonelli thinks about a move on Norris at turn one but backs out... is it over, though? Not yet but there are not that many good chances later in the lap. Perhaps into the chicane? Not this time... 11:32AM Lap 23 of 24 - The Mercedes looking stronger than the McLaren here Link copied to clipboard Antonelli seemingly biding his time before making a move on the pit straight on the last lap? Let’s see...