MAX VERSTAPPEN is on home turf as the F1 Driver’s Championship drama continues at the Dutch GP.
Lewis Hamilton remains just three points ahead in the standings going into a crucial qualifying session today, where the racers will compete for pole.
But Kimi Raikkonen will not be appearing this weekend after testing positive for Covid-19.
JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET A FREE £10 BONUS WITH 100s OF GAMES TO PLAY AND NO DEPOSIT REQUIRED (Ts&Cs apply)
Follow ALL of the latest news and updates below…
VERSTAPPEN GETS POLE – BUT ONLY JUST
Hamilton is just 0.038 seconds behind the Red Bull man. Super close but Verstappen is on pole.
Hamilton will start second. Bottas in third. Gasly in fourth.
It is going to be an exciting start and some 72 laps tomorrow!
FINAL RUNS FOR GRID PLACES
Can anyone beat Max?
VERSTAPPEN TAKES PROVISIONAL POLE -THEN GOES EVEN QUICKER
He is into the 1:08s as he sets the benchmark. Two belting laps from the Red Bull man while Hamilton’s best crack is only good enough for third.
Six minutes still to run in this session and it is Verstappen, Bottas, Hamilton.
Q3 IS GO – AFTER A SHORT DELAY THE TOP 10 SHOOT OUT IS UNDERWAY
Verstappen vrs Hamilton. This could be a tasty one. All been advantage Verstappen.
However, he is on his own in this session, as his teammate Sergio Perez is out. Hamilton, however, can rely on Bottas to give him some help.
THIS TRACK IS CERATINLY PROVING TRICKY
Plenty of red flags over the two days so far. And still time for more drama. Q3 set to start in five minutes.
SESSION ENDED – LATIFI’S CRASH BRINGS AN EARLY END TO THE SESSION THAT WILL NOT BE RESTARTED
It means that Tsunoda, Latifi, Norris, Stroll and Russell are all eliminated.
RED FLAG – LATIFI CRASHES OUT
This time is it Russell’s teammate, Nicholas Latifi who crashes. That’s a hefty slam into the barrier at Turn 8. He is OK, but winded.
GREEN LIGHT – FINAL FEW MINUTES
This is going to be a hectic end to Q2.
3 MINUTES AND 54 SECONDS REMAINING
It means that Williams can quickly patch up Russell’s car and get him out for another crack of reaching the top 10.
RED FLAG – GEORGE RUSSELL HAS A SPIN AND IS IN THE BARRIER
He’s OK, has the car going again and is heading back to the pitlane. He pushed it too hard on the final corner and lost control.
That’s a shame as he was going along nicely on that lap.
VERSTAPPEN TOPS P2
Hamilton and Bottas cannot better his time as it stands. Giovinazzi in P4, Russell in fifth.
MAZEPIN COULD BE IN HOT WATER
Not that it will help out Vettel, who is out in Q1.
LANDO NORRIS SCRAPES IN BUT PEREZ IS OUT
That is a blow to Red Bull as Perez is eliminated at the first hurdle. He is down in 16th place.
That is simply not good enough from the Mexican or indeed Red Bull.
Vettel is also out after nearly getting taken out but the Haas of Nikita Mazepin.
Stewards will be looking at that incident after the session. However, it means that Norris is into Q2 – but only just.
RUSSELL IS ON A FLYER
He goes fifth quickest in a Williams. Following on from his excellent result at Spa, the Brit delivers another performance that underlines just why he’s being picked to replace Valtteri Bottas at Mercedes next season.
SAINZ IS OUT
The Ferrari man is out on track. That is a cracking re-build by his Ferrari team. He is out on track with a little under seven minutes remaining of Q1.
THERE IS A BIG ROAR FROM THE GRANDSTANDS AS VERSTAPPEN GOES P1
The Red Bull man is the quickest again around his home track and looks safely into Q2.
Hamilton is right behind him, just 0.147 seconds off his lap time.
GREEN LIGHT – QUALIFYING IS GO
Q1 is underway in Zandvoort. I expect this session to be fairly stop start, so an early lap could be key.
PLENTY AT STAKE
It is all to play for in the championship but it is not just about the individual drivers.
The team standings are also tightly packed and Mercedes hold a narrow lead over Red Bull heading into the Dutch GP.
RACE AGAINST TIME FOR SAINZ
Ferrari are still repairing his car following his accident in FP3. He is ready, should it be fixed in time.
HAMILTON LOVING TRACK
Lewis Hamilton appears to be a big fan of this weekend’s Dutch circuit and will be looking for a big performance this afternoon.
VERSTAPPEN FOCUSED
Max Verstappen topped final practice and appears to have his eye on the prize as he chases pole position at the Dutch GP.
MAX TOPS THE LOT – VERSTAPPEN LEADS FINAL PRACTICE
Home advantage? It doesn’t matter. The Red Bull man heads into qualifying top of the pile.
Over half a second quicker than Valtteri Bottas and almost 0.8 seconds on Lewis Hamilton.
That’s huge. He’s also been cleared of any penalty for the confusion over the red light overtake on Lance Stroll from FP2.
SCHUMACHER SKIRTS ACROSS THE GRAVEL
He goes in too fast into the corner, loses control and runs across the gravel. He manages to keep moving but that will be a blow to his confidence.
WOW VERSTAPPEN HAS JUST GONE TOP OF THE TIME SHEETS
But what is even more impressive is that he set a time of 1:09.623 a full 0.556 seconds quicker than Bottas and 0.794 faster than Hamilton.
He says over the radio: “That last sector won’t get any better than that!”
He’s not wrong. That was a sensational lap.
FERNANDO ALONSO ROLLING BACK THE YEARS
The two-time world champion is in P1 in final practice.
Source: Motorsport - thesun.co.uk
