Antonelli predicts an 'exciting' return for F1 as rain falls ahead of the Dutch Grand Prix

ZANDVOORT, Netherlands (AP) — Max Verstappen is staying in Formula 1 , the Dutch Grand Prix is leaving and there's a long-awaited chance to see how this year's cars cope in the rain,

F1 returns from its mid-season break with a different sort of challenge for the drivers. Persistent rain fell Friday morning as the Dutch Grand Prix gets under way with only a single practice session before heading straight into qualifying for Saturday's sprint race.

It's set to be the first time the 2026 cars and their formidable electrical power have been tried in the rain as part of a race weekend, outside of a brief spell in January's preseason shakedown runs.

“I’m looking forward to it. I think it’s going to be very exciting," said Kimi Antonelli, who heads into the second half of the season with a 50-point lead in his push to become F1's youngest-ever champion. "It’s going be a big challenge for everyone because there’s so much unknown in wet conditions, but it’s a condition that I enjoy.”

The closest challengers to Antonelli and Mercedes' dominance are back with reasons to be confident.

Lewis Hamilton is second in the standings and returns, he says, the “fittest” he's ever been after a mid-season break devoted to training rather than partying, and he's pleased with Ferrari's innovative approach to developing his car.

Lando Norris won the last race before the break in Hungary for McLaren. The Zandvoort track has some similarities to the Hungaroring in its short straights, twisty layout, but the weather couldn't be more different, and there are far more vocal orange-wearing Dutch fans cheering on Verstappen.

Verstappen may have committed to Red Bull on a new contract through 2030, but there's no sign of the Dutch race staying beyond this year.

The 80s rock anthem “The Final Countdown” rang around the venue Thursday as organizers gear up for the sixth and final race since returning to the F1 calendar in 2021.

The race is a privately run operation in a calendar packed with races that boast government backing. Citing “risks and responsibilities,” organizers said in 2024 they'd rather “go out on a high" with two more races and no more.

Something else makes the Dutch Grand Prix stand out, too. Almost all fans attending are barred from driving to the track because the seaside resort town puts strict rules on traffic. Instead, they must take the train from Amsterdam or — in a uniquely Dutch take on F1 — join the tens of thousands riding bikes to Zandvoort.

Liam Lawson only learned on Monday he was being promoted to the main Red Bull team after Isack Hadjar injured his wrist . Lawson has only tried the unfamiliar car on the simulator so far, in a hastily arranged session Wednesday.

Lawson's promotion means Yuki Tsunoda is back on the grid with Racing Bulls. He hasn't raced under the new-for-2026 regulations at all.

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