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Live sport on SN this weekendRussell shows Dutch courage to claim sprint race win, Lawson 11th
James Ellingworth • August 22nd, 2026 11:43 pm
Mercedes driver George Russell has claimed a gripping win in the Formula One sprint race | Photo: AP
George Russell has started the second half of the Formula One season in style with a sprint race victory ahead of the Dutch Grand Prix.
Russell started from pole position on Saturday, quickly built a gap to Lando Norris in second and managed the pace from there, taking his first win since the Austrian Grand Prix in June.
"Obviously a great start to the weekend," he said.
George Russell's sprint race win was the British driver's first victory since the Austrian GP | Photo: AP
Charles Leclerc snatched second off Norris with a daring pass into the inside of the first corner with six laps to go, but couldn't get close enough to try passing Russell.
Norris held off a late charge from Russell's Mercedes teammate Kimi Antonelli to stay third as the Italian pulled out of a potential overtaking move on the final lap.
"We just don't have the pace in general, especially in the slow-speed corners," Norris said.
Fourth-placed Antonelli, starting fifth after car damage in qualifying, extended his standings lead by three points to 53 because his closest challenger, British driver Lewis Hamilton, could only manage seventh for Ferrari.
Liam Lawson driving for Red Bull during the Dutch sprint race | Photo: Getty Images/Red Bull Content Pool
F1 still hasn't had a wet race this year but came tantalisingly close as rain fell as the drivers were heading back to the pits, seconds after the sprint finished.
"If there was one more lap it would have been a very, potentially, different end to the race, so I'm glad the rain came when it did," Russell said.
Australia's Oscar Piastri finished fifth in the sprint race, while Kiwi driver Liam Lawson was 11th with Red Bull Racing while covering for the injured Isack Hadjar, behind his regular Racing Bulls teammate Arvid Lindblad.
Qualifying takes place later on Saturday for Sunday's Dutch Grand Prix (local time).
- AP
