Lando Norris secured pole position at the 2026 Dutch Grand Prix qualifying session in Zandvoort with a lap time of 1m 11.163s, marking the 18th pole of his Formula 1® career. Despite this achievement, Norris admitted he was somewhat surprised by the result, given the challenges McLaren faced earlier in the day.
Earlier in the weekend, Norris and McLaren had struggled, notably losing second place in the Sprint race to Charles Leclerc. However, the team made some small setup changes between the Sprint and qualifying sessions, which helped improve Norris’s confidence in the car. These adjustments allowed him to push harder on track and ultimately secure pole position ahead of the rest of the field.
McLaren’s other driver, Oscar Piastri, showed strong pace during the early stages of qualifying and finished fourth on the grid. He was positioned behind Mercedes drivers George Russell and Kimi Antonelli, who qualified second and third respectively. Piastri expressed satisfaction with his qualifying performance and hopes to have better race pace compared to the Sprint race.
Norris’s surprise at securing pole was not due to a lack of confidence but rather reflected the difficulties McLaren encountered earlier in the day. The small setup changes made between sessions were enough to boost his trust in the car’s balance, enabling him to extract the maximum performance when it mattered most. This pole position followed his winning weekend in Hungary, marking back-to-back strong qualifying performances for the British driver.
The qualifying session highlighted McLaren’s improved pace relative to their main rivals Ferrari and Mercedes, with Charles Leclerc qualifying fifth behind Piastri. The Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort will be the last of its kind for the foreseeable future, and Norris expressed his intention to deliver a strong performance for the fans at this historic venue.
Oscar Piastri’s fourth place on the grid also suggests McLaren could have a competitive race day, especially as he looks to improve on his Sprint race pace. The team’s ability to make effective setup changes between sessions demonstrated their adaptability and focus on maximising performance under varying conditions.
Overall, the qualifying results at Zandvoort showed McLaren’s potential to challenge the traditional front runners. Norris’s pole position and Piastri’s strong qualifying performance underline the team’s progress and set the stage for an interesting race at the Dutch Grand Prix.