Rain always holds surprises in Zandvoort. The weather had initially ruled out twists in the Sprint, but an intense – albeit brief – downpour almost overturned the end of the Saturday morning race.
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The weather for qualifying
Heading towards qualifying, crucial on a twisty track like the Dutch one, conditions in Zandvoort show a dry asphalt and the sun peeking through the clouds. The session will probably be held on slick tires, but it is not possible to rule out sudden and wild downpours like the one seen in the Sprint.
The latest weather forecasts see potential rain clouds hovering not far from the circuit. Much will depend on the wind and its intensity and direction, although the risk stands around 20% (exactly as at 12 this morning).
The latest #weather forecasts tell us that qualifying will probably be dry. However, it cannot be ruled out that one or two isolated rain showers may arrive over the circuit.
🌧️ Rain risk: 20% (as for the Sprint) #F1 #DutchGP pic.twitter.com/yfvu5NDCpW
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— Simone Peluso (@PelusoF1) August 22, 2026
Six-way fight for pole
It will be a real battle in qualifying, especially considering the close gap both in the Sprint Qualifying and in this morning’s race. Managing every single aspect perfectly will be crucial because the pool of candidates seems to have expanded to as many as six contenders.
Mercedes, Ferrari, and McLaren all have the chance to get ahead on the front row, but setup choices and a good compromise for tomorrow’s race (also expected to be dry) will also count. Red Bull’s Verstappen seems to be a step behind, not very comfortable in the first part of the weekend and also facing difficulties related to a Sprint format somewhat unpalatable to the Milton Keynes team.
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