F1 Dutch Grand Prix 2026: Preview, Form & Who to Watch
Formula 1 comes back from its summer break at Zandvoort — and this one is bittersweet, because 2026 is the final Dutch Grand Prix at the seaside circuit before it leaves the calendar. The season resumes with a first-year driver running away with the title in F1's all-new regulation era.
A farewell to Zandvoort
After a one-year extension, 2026 is confirmed as the last Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort — the race exits the F1 calendar afterward. That makes this weekend an emotional send-off for one of the sport's best modern atmospheres, with its banked corners and sea of orange-clad fans. It's also the first race back after the summer break, and the farewell weekend includes a Saturday Sprint alongside Sunday's Grand Prix.
The 2026 title picture
2026 is the first year of F1's sweeping new rules — roughly 50/50 combustion-electric power, no MGU-H, sustainable fuel and active aero in place of DRS — and one team and one driver have adapted best. Kimi Antonelli has run away with the championship for Mercedes: 219 points and a lead of around 50 over Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton, built on six wins already this season.
| 1 | Kimi Antonelli — 219 (Mercedes) |
| 2 | Lewis Hamilton — 169 (Ferrari) |
| 3 | George Russell — 160 (Mercedes) |
| 4 | Charles Leclerc — 138 (Ferrari) |
| 5 | Lando Norris — 128 (McLaren) |
| 6 | Max Verstappen — 109 (Red Bull) |
Mercedes leads the constructors' championship comfortably. The freshest twist: Lando Norris took McLaren's first win of 2026 at the last race before the break in Hungary, ahead of Verstappen and Antonelli — momentum for McLaren heading to the dunes.
Recent Dutch GP winners
| 2025 | Oscar Piastri (McLaren) — a grand chelem |
| 2024 | Lando Norris (McLaren) |
| 2023 | Max Verstappen (Red Bull) |
Home hero Max Verstappen won here in 2023 and has finished runner-up at Zandvoort in each of the last two years — expect the orange army out in force for the farewell.
Ones to Watch
Our picks below are informed opinion based on the form above — not a crystal ball.
The runaway story of 2026. He leads by about 50 points with six wins already, on the car that has best mastered the new rules. Anything but a strong weekend would be a surprise.
It's his home race and its last-ever running, and he's a past Zandvoort winner who has been runner-up here the last two years. If any track lifts Red Bull's year, it's this one — and the crowd will be desperate for a send-off win.
McLaren's first win of 2026 came right before the break, and Norris has won at Zandvoort before (2024). He arrives with the most momentum of anyone.
He dominated this race a year ago with a grand chelem. With McLaren trending up, the defending winner can't be discounted on a track he clearly likes.
How to watch: In the US, F1 moved to Apple TV for 2026, which carries every session — practice, the Sprint, qualifying and the race. Note the early-morning US start for a European round. See our How to Watch Formula 1 in 2026 guide for the full breakdown.
Full event details & how to watch →
Form and standings verified as of publication (Sunday, July 26, 2026). "Ones to watch" are our opinion — see our Editorial Policy. Start times shown in US Eastern; on the schedule they convert to your local zone.
