Norris claims stunning Dutch GP pole as Hamilton suffers shocker

Lando Norris will start the 2024 F1 Dutch Grand Prix from pole position, after a crushing display in Zandvoort. 

The McLaren driver claimed a comfortable pole courtesy of a stunning 1:09.673, over three tenths clear of home hero and reigning world champion Max Verstappen. 

Norris was in a league of his own and starts directly ahead of team-mate Oscar Piastri, who had to settle for third with George Russell joining him on the front row. 

However, there was misery for Mercedes, as Lewis Hamilton suffered a shock early exit in Q2. 

Hamilton was not the only big name to face a Q2 exit in P12, as Ferrari's Carlos Sainz also found himself out of qualifying at the end of the second segment in 11th. 

However, a further change to Hamilton's grid position is possible, as he will be investigated for potentially impeding Sergio Perez during Q1. 

Q3

Norris set the benchmark time to beat on the first hot laps in Q3, with only six drivers having opted for two runs in the final qualifying segment. 

The Briton posted a 1:10.074 to go 0.119s clear of Piastri, whilst Verstappen went provisionally third fastest but 0.148s adrift of Norris. 

Only those three drivers used a new set of soft tyres for both Q3 runs, as the others only had one fresh set available. 

On the final Q3 runs, Verstappen was able to go faster than Norris' initial time; however, the McLaren driver found a further three tenths of a second to claim a comfortable pole. 

Piastri also improved but not by enough to seal a front row start, leaving him at the head of the second row with George Russell. 

Perez did well to secure fifth, ahead of Charles Leclerc, Fernando Alonso, an impressive Alex Albon, Lance Stroll and Pierre Gasly.

Hamilton and Sainz suffer shock Q2 exit

At the start of Q2, Red Bull confirmed to Verstappen that rain was in the air, with dark clouds having appeared nearby. 

However, the second segment of qualifying was completed in the dry, on a Zandvoort circuit that continued to ramp up.

Again, though, it was Sainz on the bubble after the opening laps in P10 and in need of an improvement on his final lap time. 

Solid laps from Gasly and Tsunoda vaulted both drivers into the top 10 provisionally, demoting Sainz down to 13th and putting Leclerc at risk in 10th.

Crucially, Hamilton also found himself outside the top 10 and failed to improve enough on his final lap time. Sainz did improve, but not enough to escape the drop-zone. 

Sainz could only manage 11th, a place ahead of Hamilton in 12th. Yuki Tsunoda, Nico Hulkenberg and Kevin Magnussen were also eliminated. Norris topped Q2 on a 1:10.496.

Ricciardo Q1 disappointment

The circuit was dry but remained green in places throughout Q1 due to heavy rain earlier in the day, resulting in several driver complaints of sliding, including from Verstappen and Russell

With only second practice having been conducted in the dry, some big names found themselves at risk of elimination ahead of the final hot laps. Sainz was on the bubble in 15th. 

Sainz did enough on his final lap to avoid an early exit, unlike Daniel Ricciardo who was knocked out in 16th. 

Esteban Ocon could only salvage 17th, ahead of Valtteri Bottas, Zhou Guanyu and Logan Sargeant who were also eliminated. Sargeant failed to set a lap time following his heavy third practice crash.

Perez topped the segment on a 1:11.006, whilst Hamilton, Norris and Verstappen set the fifth, sixth and seventh fastest laps.