Dutch GP Sprint: George Russell wins from Charles Leclerc to trim Kimi Antonelli's F1 world championship lead at Zandvoort

22.08.2026, 14:10 skysports.com

George Russell won the Dutch Grand Prix Sprint to maintain his perfect start to Formula 1's return to action and trim his championship deficit to Mercedes team-mate Kimi Antonelli.

The polesitting Russell held the lead from Lando Norris at the start and and withstood an initial challenge from his fellow Briton before the McLaren fell into the clutches of Charles Leclerc's Ferrari behind.

Despite being on the more brittle soft tyres compared to the mediums of those around him, Leclerc overtook Norris for second with an impressive move into the first corner on lap 18 of the short-form contest.

But Norris was at least able to hold off Antonelli for third, the championship leader having taken fourth from the other McLaren of Oscar Piastri on the first lap.

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While Russell is now 56 points back on his team-mate after victory, Antonelli's overall championship lead has extended to 53 points after Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton finished where he qualified in seventh.

A downpour arrived just as Russell was taking the chequered flag for his third Sprint win of the season with the Mercedes driver admitting the final tour would have been "very sketchy" had the rain arrived any earlier.

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Fifth-placed Piastri finished with home favourite Max Verstappen right on his tail.

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Hamilton, though, was 1.6s back on Verstappen in seventh and will now hope for sufficiently better over the rest of race weekend after being unhappy with his set-up into Sprint Qualifying.

Pierre Gasly took the final point on offer in the Sprint with eighth for Alpine.

The Zandvoort weekend is now effectively reset with teams able to make changes to their cars ahead of Grand Prix Qualifying at 3pm later on Saturday, live on Sky Sports F1 and Main Event.

More to follow...

1) George Russell, Mercedes2) Charles Leclerc, Ferrari3) Lando Norris, McLaren4) Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes5) Oscar Piastri, McLaren6) Max Verstappen, Red Bull7) Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari8) Pierre Gasly, Alpine

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Saturday August 221.30pm: F1 Academy Race 12.15pm: 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

*also on Sky Sports Main Event

Formula 1 is at Zandvoort for a Sprint weekend at the Dutch Grand Prix with every session live on Sky Sports F1. Stream Sky Sports with NOW - no contract, cancel anytime