George Russell returned from the summer break in style, taking pole position for the Dutch Grand Prix Sprint after a closely fought qualifying session at Zandvoort.

The Mercedes driver produced a brilliant final lap of 1:11.567 to beat Lando Norris by just 0.041 seconds. Russell’s performance secured his third Sprint pole of the 2026 season and gave Mercedes a strong starting position for Saturday’s 100km Sprint.

Norris had looked quick throughout the session and came extremely close to taking pole, but Russell found just enough time when it mattered most. Charles Leclerc completed the top three for Ferrari, while Oscar Piastri qualified fourth for McLaren.

Championship leader Kimi Antonelli had a difficult session by his usual standards and will start the Sprint from fifth. The Mercedes youngster suffered damage after running into the gravel on his first flying lap, limiting his opportunities to fight for the front row.

Max Verstappen will start sixth in front of his home crowd, with the Red Bull driver unable to match the pace of the Mercedes, McLaren and Ferrari cars ahead of him. Lewis Hamilton qualified seventh for Ferrari, putting another title contender further down the order.

Gabriel Bortoleto impressed to take ninth for Audi, while Racing Bulls rookie Arvid Lindblad completed the top ten.

The result gives Russell an important opportunity to close the gap to Antonelli in the championship. With points available in the Sprint, every position could prove valuable as the title fight enters the second half of the season.

For Mercedes, the result is another sign that the team remains a force at the front of the grid. Russell now has a clear target for Saturday morning: convert Sprint pole into maximum points.

With Norris alongside him, Leclerc and Piastri close behind, and Antonelli and Verstappen looking to fight back, the Dutch Grand Prix Sprint is set up for a thrilling battle at Zandvoort.