#F1 #DutchGP FP3: @LandoNorris leads dominant @McLarenF1 one-two.
Lando Norris, #4, McLaren Formula 1 Team-Mercedes, MCL39, Free Practice 3, Formula 1 Heineken Dutch Grand Prix 2025, Circuit Zandvoort, Zandvoort, Netherlands. Image credit to Zak Mauger/LAT Images. Norris Dutch GP FP3, Dutch GP FP3 Results, F1 Dutch GP FP3, Formula 1 Dutch FP3 Results.
Norris Dutch GP FP3 – Lando Norris edged team-mate Oscar Piastri in another McLaren one-two as Mercedes’ George Russell rounded out the top three.
Norris posted the session-topping benchmark on the C4 red side-walled softer compounds with a solid 1:08.972 and was 0.242 seconds faster than team-mate Piastri whilst Russell was a further 0.886 seconds off in third.
When the final long hour session began, race control declared the track wet thanks to those damp patches. There was no initial movement in the pit lane as the drivers were waiting for the track to dry.
RB’s Isack Hadjar was the first to hit the track on a set of inters for a sighting tour before returning to the pits.
Mercedes’ Andrea Kimi Antonelli and Sauber’s Nico Hulkenberg both came out on the C3 and C2 medium and harder compounds respectively.
Antonelli was the first to register a 1:33.360, which was a slow tour to get the tyres up to temperature as Hulkenberg does likewise – the German posted a 1:17.495.
The Italian put his Silver Arrow back on top with a 1:13.740, but this was short-lived as Hulkenberg snatched P1 on a 1:13.485 whilst the other Sauber of Gabriel Bortoleto slotted in third with a 1:24.256.
Alpine’s Franco Colapinto then jumped to the top with a 1:13.374 at the 11th minute mark of proceedings.
Bortoleto then put his Sauber P1 with a 1:12.966 on his C2 harder rubber. With a purple in sectors one and three
Hulkenberg was next and the German reclaimed P1 setting a 1:12.612 with a personal best and two purple final sectors to go 0.354 seconds clear of his team-mate Bortoleto.
Antonelli followed and with a purple middle sector jumped back on top with a 1:12.061 but this was beaten by Bortoleto’s 1:12.014 for the Brazilian to be 0.047 seconds quicker as the session completed it’s opening quarter.
Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll who suffered a heavy shunt yesterday in FP2, emerged on the softer compounds and posted a 1:11.854 effort with two personal bests and a purple sector three to go 0.160 seconds clear at the top from Bortoleto.
Antonelli then put his F1 W16 entry to the top with his C3 mediums, setting a 1:11.187 but this was beaten by Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso’s 1:11.082 on the C4 red side-walled softer tyre just past the 21-minute mark.
Norris was next and with three purples blasted to P1 to go 0.820 seconds quicker than Alonso as the McLaren driver set a 1:10.262 flyer.
Red Bull’s Verstappen followed and with three personal bests on the mediums moved to second to be 0.760 seconds adrift of Norris’s benchmark.
Piastri was next on his flying tour on the softs and jumped to take second off the Dutchman to wound up a slim 0.071 seconds off his McLaren team-mate Norris – the Australian set a 1:10.333.
Both Ferrari’s of Sir Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc ended up 0.981 and 1.013 seconds off of Norris’s benchmark on the medium compounds in eighth and ninth respectively during this stage of proceedings.
Hadjar posted three personal bests with 33 minutes remaining to jump to P3 with his soft tyre effort, the Frenchman posted a 1:10.751 to end up 0.489 seconds off Norris’s effort.
Leclerc then jumped to fourth on his next push lap on the mediums, but this was beaten by Verstappen’s three personal bests as the latter snatched back third place with his 1:10.703 effort.
Hamilton then improved to take third and be 0.304 seconds off Norris whilst Bearman slotted in fourth behind his fellow British compatriot on the harder compound with his 1:10.626 hot-lap.
Championship leader Piastri was on his next push lap on the softs and with a purple sector one jumped to P1 with a 1:10.120 to go 0.142 seconds quicker than team-mate Norris with 28 minutes remaining.
RB’s Liam Lawson followed with three personal bests on the mediums jumped to seventh to be behind team-mate Hadjar after setting a 1:10.844 flyer.
The majority with 24 minutes left on the clock returned to the pits to adjust their setups.
Leclerc was next on his C3 medium tyre run and jumped up to fifth on a 1:10.620 to be 0.500 seconds adrift of Piastri’s benchmark.
There was a lull in action with less than 20 minutes in the session to adjust their setups and put on a set of the C4 red side-walled softer compounds for their qualifying simulation runs as both Ferrari’s were continuing to circulate on the C3 mediums.
Leclerc remained in fifth as Hamilton backed off his flyer.
Norris was the first to emerge on the C4 softs and the McLaren driver with three purples shot to the top with a 1:08.972 to be a huge 1.148 seconds quicker than Piastri who was out on his flyer on the C4’s.
Verstappen was next on the softs and the home favourite with three personal bests took a 1:09.925 to go second and 0.953 seconds down.
Piastri then moved back to second to be 0.242 seconds adrift of his team-mate with his 1:09.214 whilst Russell shot to third and was 0.886 off Norris’s benchmark.
Sainz put his Williams up into fourth on his qualifying simulation stint on the softs posting a 1:09.913 to be 0.941 seconds off Norris’s time-topper.
A scary moment between Alonso and Russell seemed see both almost banged wheels coming onto the main straight.
Replays showed Alonso looked to be trying to pick up a slipstream, with Russell on the racing line. Alonso started to overtake on the inside, but Russell moved across as if he was pitting, leaving Alonso nowhere to go.
The Spaniard wounded up pitting, whilst Russell stayed out.
The incident between the duo is currently under investigation by the stewards.
Leclerc on his soft tyre effort jumped to sixth to end up 0.966 seconds off with his 1:09.938 flyer.
On his next flyer despite setting a purple sector three, Piastri could not improve to get closer or beat team-mate Norris’s benchmark.
The session ended with Norris on top, Piastri second and Russell completing the top three runners.
Sainz ended up fourth for Williams as home favourite Verstappen placed fifth for Red Bull whilst Leclerc was the lead Ferrari in sixth.
Williams’ Alexander Albon followed in seventh and in-front of Stroll who took eighth whilst Hadjar and Alonso completed the top ten.
You can see the full Formula 1 Heineken Dutch Grand Prix 2025 Free Practice 3 Results Classification at the link: FORMULA 1 HEINEKEN DUTCH GRAND PRIX 2025 – PRACTICE 3
