Formula 1 returns after its summer break as the second half of the 2026 season begins with a Sprint weekend at the Dutch Grand Prix. This is also the last Dutch Grand Prix as the event has not been renewed beyond this year, so the Orange Army will be out to support Max Verstappen racing on home soil for potentially the final time in his career. Verstappen is yet to win a race this year but could play a key role in the title race as Kimi Antonelli looks to remain in control of the Drivers' Championship.
Antonelli leads Lewis Hamilton by 50 points and George Russell by 59 points but that advantage could quickly disappear, particularly if Ferrari continue to bring upgrades. On paper, the Zandvoort circuit should suit Ferrari as it does not feature many straights but McLaren's Lando Norris won last time out at the twisty Hungaroring and should also be a threat. Oscar Piastri won last year's Dutch Grand Prix, which is currently his last victory in F1, and the Australian needs to rediscover that form again in the second half of this season.
It is also a big race for Russell, who got engaged to his long-term partner Carmen Montero Mundt over the summer break, given Antonelli's superb recent form. Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Zandvoort is one of the drivers' favourite tracks thanks to its high-speed corners and banked bends at Turn 3 and the flat-out final turn. It can be tricky to overtake with only one long straight down to Turn 1 so track position is critical and we could see a similar race to Hungary last time out.
Cooler conditions compared to much of the European summer are expected for the Zandvoort race weekend, with temperature highs in the low 20s. There is also a chance of light showers. Thursday August 201pm: Drivers' Press Conference4pm: Paddock Uncut Friday August 2111am: Dutch GP Practice (session starts at 11.30am)12.55pm: F1 Academy Practice2.30pm: Team Bosses' Press Conference3pm: Dutch GP Sprint Qualifying (session starts at 3.30pm) Saturday August 228.15am: F1 Academy Qualifying10am: Dutch GP Sprint build-up11am: DUTCH GP SPRINT*1.30pm: F1 Academy Race 12.20pm: Dutch GP Qualifying build-up*3pm: DUTCH GP QUALIFYING*5pm: Porsche Supercup Race 1 Sunday August 239.35am: F1 Academy Race 210.50am: Porsche Supercup Race 212.30pm: Grand Prix Sunday: Dutch GP build-up2pm: THE DUTCH GRAND PRIX4pm: Chequered Flag: Dutch GP reaction TV: Sky Customers can watch on Sky Sports F1 from Practice on Friday afternoon to the Dutch Grand Prix itself on Sunday August 23 at 2pm App: Sky Customers can also watch on the Sky Sports app - with the option to go onboard with any driver!
Stream: Non-Sky Customers can stream the action with a NOW Day or a cancel-anytime Month pass Live blog: Anyone on the move can follow live coverage of the race weekend through our dedicated F1 blog FREE Highlights: Watch F1 highlights shortly after the chequered flag on the Sky Sports app *Sky iD help: How to find or create your Sky iD NOW is an instant streaming service offering access to all 12 Sky Sports channels, every Sky Sports+ stream, and much more. It's an app, so customers can sign up and stream instantly across over 60 devices. It offers contract-free membership options, so customers can cancel anytime!
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