The China Mail - Antonelli fastest in sole Dutch GP practice session

The Italian, who is 50 points ahead of the chasing pack in the world championship, took his Mercedes round in one minute and 12.949 seconds, 0.121sec ahead of Norris in the McLaren.

After several heavy showers on the North Sea circuit, the session stayed dry but patches of wet on the track and gusts of wind made conditions difficult.

Antonelli himself spun his Mercedes on one practice lap, telling his team on the radio: "I don't know what the heck happened there."

Mercedes teammate George Russell clocked the third-fastest lap, ahead of Ferrari duo Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc.

Later Friday, the drivers will compete for pole position in Saturday's sprint race.

The Dutch Grand Prix, the first after the summer break, comes with every sign the championship will come down to the wire in the second half of the season.

Antonelli, who turns 20 next week, has a 50-point advantage over seven-time world champion Hamilton, at 41 more than twice his age.

Antonelli and Mercedes dominated the first half of the season, with the prodigy picking up wins in six of the 11 races, including five consecutive chequered flags.

But the chasing pack have brought successful upgrades to their cars, with Mercedes admitting they are "out of sync" in terms of improvements to their own package.

McLaren are hoping to build on their triumph at the last Grand Prix before the summer break, when Norris secured his first win of the season.

The papaya outfit have strong form at Zandvoort, with Oscar Piastri winning in 2025 and Norris himself the year before.

Ferrari have also shown signs they can compete at the front of the grid, with Hamilton declaring himself the fittest he has ever been after a summer break spent in the gym.

Home favourite Max Verstappen can never be counted out, fresh from the news that he has extended his contract with Red Bull until 2030.

The hordes of orange-clad Max fans will be hoping Verstappen can deliver on his promise to give them a "special send-off" at the last Grand Prix to be staged at Zandvoort.

The Dutch seaside resort will not be on the Formula One calendar from next year, after promoters pulled the plug.

P.Deng--ThChM