A rapid writeup today, as I’m unfortunately quite busy:

DUTCH GP SPRINT:

Not a lot that particularly happened. I’m increasingly of the opinion that sprint races are a waste of time/money/energy and we’re better served by having another two practice sessions. The only notable overtake within the top ten was Charles Leclerc overtaking Lando Norris for P2.

DUTCH GP QUALI:

Defending world champion Lando Norris is back on pole! McLaren has significant improved over the Summer break while everyone else seems to have languished. As a Ferrari fan, I return to my usual state of disappointment as Leclerc and Hamilton start from the third row. I remain optimistic, however, that anything can happen.

Qualifying for the 2026 Dutch Grand Prix Sprint went off without a hitch. Most of the newsworthy items were surrounding the whole weekend, such as the Lawson/Tsunoda shakeup at Red Bull. Notably to me, a very impressive drive from Lando Norris in SQ3 - which still wasn’t enough to keep George Russell from pole position.

FINAL RESULTS

P1: George Russell P2: Lando Norris P3: Charles Leclerc P4: Oscar Piastri P5: Kimi Antonelli P6: Max Verstappen P7: Lewis Hamilton P8: Pierre Gasly P9: Gabriel Bortoleto P10: Arvid Lindblad P11: Liam Lawson P12: Yuki Tsunoda P13: Fanco Colapinto P14: Nico Hulkenberg P15: Esteban Ocon P16: Alexander Albon P17: Oliver Bearman P18: Carlos Sainz P19: Lance Stroll P20: Valtteri Bottas P21: Sergio Perez P22: Fernando Alonso

P.S. - I’m still figuring out the format for What A Drag. You can contact me at andrew@desktopGeneration.com if you have any feedback or suggestions. Thanks!

[via Sky Sport Italy]

The Dutch GP hasn’t even happened yet, but we’re planning out penalties for the future. Kimi Antonelli got with the media today to discuss his/Mercedes' intentions to swap out his engine heading into Monza. (And deal with the associated grid penalties)

“The penalty for the new engine will be in Monza. It was a shared decision because it is one of the tracks on which it is easier to overtake. It’s also true that it’s my home race, but in the end I think more about the championship and I have to evaluate which is the place where I can give myself a better chance to recover positions and to get a result. That’s why Monza is certainly at the top of the list where to take the penalty”

A show of confidence for sure, but this leaves me curious about the state of his Mercedes heading into this weekend. Only time will tell.

The Red Bull politics regarding Yuki Tsunoda (LINK) make complete and total sense as a tactical decision. They’re also nonsensical from any other perspective and absolutely designed to spite Tsunoda because of the headlines regarding him possibly going to Indycar (and working with Ohio’s finest, Meyer Shank Racing). Yuki was Honda’s boy, promoted due to Honda politics, and failed to prove himself when actually handed the keys. Regardless, Red Bull decided to keep him as the reserve driver for Red Bull, not Racing Bulls (their second tier team, for the uninitiated). Now, Red Bull’s #2 driver is injured - this is where you call up their reserve driver. So they’ve pulled Liam Lawson out of Racing Bulls for one race only and put Tsunoda in as the Racing Bulls reserve driver. A tactically designed insult. Undeniably Liam will place better than Yuki, but my desire to see VCARB eliminated/sold to anyone else has grown tenfold. This is not good sportsmanship.

P.S. - He had the impact of a wet napkin as a Red Bull driver, but I do genuinely like Yuki Tsunoda. I hope the rumors of him going to Indycar are true, and even more than that I wish him well in it. If RB wanted to fire him, they should have fired him.