How to follow Dutch Grand Prix on the BBC

Individual flags are laid out on each seat of the grandstand to create a larger image of the Dutch flag with the race poster — Image caption,
The final Dutch Grand Prix has been chosen to host the fourth sprint event of the 2026 season

Sophie Trifonoff

BBC Sport journalist

4 hours ago

Formula 1 returns from its summer break and heads to Zandvoort for the Dutch Grand Prix - for the final time - from 21-23 August.

Mercedes' 19-year-old Kimi Antonelli leads the drivers' championship by 50 points from Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton following his six wins in the 11 races so far this season.

Before the break, world champion Lando Norris of McLaren secured his first main victory of the year at the Hungarian Grand Prix, with Red Bull's Max Verstappen second and Antonelli finishing third.

The maiden 24-lap sprint race at Zandvoort starts at 11:00 BST on Saturday.

Lights out for Sunday's 72-lap main grand prix is at 14:00.

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F1 waves goodbye to Zandvoort

A fan in an orange army t-shirt stands in the grandstands at Zandvoort — Image caption,
More than 300,000 spectators, many of them supporting Max Verstappen, attended last year's race weekend in Zandvoort

The Dutch Grand Prix returned to the F1 calendar in 2021 after a 36-year absence but this year the circuit is taking its final bow.

The 4.259km track, in a holiday town on the North Sea coast, had been struggling to make the event work financially despite sellout crowds attending to support home hero Verstappen.

The four-time world champion is always greeted by a mass of orange-clad fans at Zandvoort, and he took both pole position and victory in the first three editions after the race made its comeback.

It was McLaren who broke Verstappen's winning streak two years ago, with Norris taking the chequered flag from pole in 2024 and team-mate Oscar Piastri doing the same thing last year.

Session start times and BBC coverage

Commentary on the race weekend will be available across Sports Extra 3, BBC Sounds and the BBC Sport website and app.

You can also listen by asking most smart speakers to "play Sports Extra 3".

Make sure to listen to every episode of the Chequered Flag podcast. For the first time this year, the post-race show for every grand prix is available to watch on BBC iPlayer and YouTube., external

All times BST

Friday, 21 August

First practice: 11:30-12:30 (Sports Extra 3, BBC Sounds, BBC Sport website and app and smart speakers)

Sprint qualifying: 15:30-16:14 (Sports Extra 3, BBC Sounds, BBC Sport website and app and smart speakers)

Saturday, 22 August

Sprint: 11:00-12:00 (Sports Extra 3, BBC Sounds, BBC Sport website and app and smart speakers)

Qualifying: 15:00-16:00 (Sports Extra 3, BBC Sounds, BBC Sport website and app and smart speakers)

Sunday, 23 August

Race: 14:00 (Sports Extra 3, BBC Sounds, BBC Sport website and app and smart speakers)

What is the Dutch GP weather forecast?

Max Verstappen walks under an umbrella in the Zandvoort paddock — Image caption,
The weather conditions can change quickly at the seaside resort of Zandvoort, with last year's race weekend seeing a mixture of sunshine and showers

Europe has been experiencing heatwaves this summer, but the weather for the final Dutch Grand Prix weekend is looking cool and a little bit unsettled.

Some light rain, cloudy skies and daytime high temperatures of about 18C to 20C are forecast for the three days of track action in Zandvoort.

There is a low risk of rain for Saturday's shorter sprint and main qualifying session, while Sunday's grand prix, which starts at 3pm local time, should be dry with sunny intervals and a gentle breeze.

How do F1 sprint races work?

Lewis Hamilton and Kimi Antonelli smile as they pose for pictures after the Silverstone sprint race in July — Image caption,
Kimi Antonelli beat Lewis Hamilton to victory at the fifth sprint race of the season at Silverstone in July

Sprint qualifying on Friday has three sessions, where now the six slowest cars are knocked out from the first two - like normal qualifying.

These sessions, known as SQ1, SQ2 and SQ3, last 12, 10 and eight minutes respectively.

This will make up the grid for the 100km sprint race.

Only the top eight finishers score points, with eight points awarded for first place down to one point for eighth, which will get added to the overall drivers' championship standings.