Following a summer break, Formula 1 has finally returned as the sport will head to Zandvoort for the final time as the Dutch Grand Prix 2026 will run from August 21 to 23.
After winning six of the 11 races this season, Mercedes’ 19-year-old Kimi Antonelli leads Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton by 50 points in the drivers’ championship. At the Hungarian Grand Prix before to the break, world champion Lando Norris of McLaren won his first major race of the year, followed by Max Verstappen of Red Bull in second place and Antonelli in third.
At 11:00 BST on Saturday, Zandvoort will host its first 24-lap sprint race. The 72-lap premier grand prix on Sunday will begin at 14:00.
Why will Formula 1 will not return to Zandvoort again?
The year 2021 saw the Dutch Grand Prix return to the Netherlands following a long 36-year absence but the circuit is currently gearing up for its final bow. The track, which is 4.259km long, has been struggling to meet the desired financial needs even as sellout crowds have been making appearance to watch hometown hero Verstappen. After the race made its much-awaited return, Verstappen claimed both pole position and victory in the first three editions and have always received a raucous reception.
Nevertheless, Mclaren ended Verstappen’s winning run a couple of years ago as Lando Norris took the chequered flag from pole in 2024, while Oscar Piastri repeated the feat last year.
Friday’s sprint qualifying consists of three sessions, with the six slowest cars eliminated from the first two, much like in regular qualifying. The duration of these sessions, which are referred to as SQ1, SQ2, and SQ3, is twelve, ten, and eight minutes, respectively.
The grid for the 100-kilometer sprint event will consist of this. Only the top eight finishers receive points, which are added to the overall drivers’ championship standings. First place receives eight points, while eighth place receives just one.
Will the weather in Dutch Grand Prix pose problems?
Europe has notably been experiencing extreme heatwaves this summer but the weather is expected to nicely settle for the final Dutch Grand Prix weekend, looking cool. As far as the forecast for the three days of track action in Zandvoort goes, light rain and overcast conditions are in store with temperatures of 18C to 20C.
There are some chances of rain for Saturday’s shorter sprint and main qualifying session but sunny conditions are expected for the main race on Sunday.
Where to watch Dutch Grand Prix 2026 in India?
In India, fans can catch the action of the Dutch Grand Prix on FanCode or via the official F1 TV Pro platform. Below is the schedule as per IST:
Practice 1: Friday, August 21 at 4:00 AM
Sprint Qualifying: Friday, August 21 at 8:00 AM
Sprint: Saturday, August 22 at 3:00 AM
Qualifying: Saturday, August 22 at 7:00 AM
Main Race: Sunday, August 23 at 6:00 AM