George Russell boosts title hopes with victory in Dutch Grand Prix sprint

GEORGE RUSSELL DELIVERED a much-needed boost to his championship hopes with a commanding victory in the Dutch Grand Prix sprint.

Russell endured a tough run at the last three races but has returned from the sport’s summer shutdown determined to trust his instincts to chase down championship leader and Mercedes team-mate Kimi Antonelli.

The 28-year-old shaved three points off Antonelli’s lead to sit 56 back ahead of Sunday’s main race.

The Italian, who turns 20 next week, crossed the line in fourth in Saturday’s 24-lap dash around the seaside circuit of Zandvoort – hosting the final Dutch Grand Prix before it drops off the calendar.

That meant he actually extended his lead at the top of the standings by three points to 53, with second-placed Lewis Hamilton trudging home in seventh in a disappointing display as he bids to ignite his charge towards an eighth world title over the second half of the season.

Lando Norris, who earned his first win of the season in Budapest last time out, started second but was unable to offer a significant threat to Russell.

He instead fell back in the closing stages, losing out to Charles Leclerc on lap 17.

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Oscar Piastri was fifth in the second McLaren and Max Verstappen, fresh from signing his new Red Bull contract, finished sixth.

Russell produced a confident drive to clinch his third sprint win of the season, blasting away from pole to fend off the threat of Norris before pulling clear.

Ferrari rolled the dice with Leclerc, starting him on soft tyres from third on the grid, but it was a move which did not immediately pay off as he was unable to make progress at the start.

Behind him, Antonelli got the jump on Piastri around the outside of the opening corner to claim fourth.

It was a sprint that will not live long in the memory, with that move the only one of note throughout the first 17 laps.

That was until Leclerc closed within striking distance of Norris and dived up the inside of turn one to pass the reigning world champion.

Norris was then under pressure from Antonelli, the Italian on his gearbox through turn one on the final lap, but the British driver held on to claim the third spot on the sprint podium.

Russell took the chequered flag 1.3 seconds ahead of Leclerc.

As he celebrated trackside, the heavens opened and Russell admitted he was grateful for the timing of the weather.

“Great start to the weekend, one more lap (and) it would have been a very different end to the race, so I’m glad the rain came when it did!” he said.

“It is going to be a tight one this afternoon (qualifying), Ferrari looked very fast.

“I knew if there was going to be overtakes, it would be towards the end of the race. I knew I wanted to manage my tyres through the high-speed corners and have more in the tank come the end of the race.”

Russell has claimed two wins this season, his last coming in Austria, but has bemoaned his luck amid a struggle for results which have damaged his title pursuit.

“The results haven’t been there but I think the underlying performance hasn’t been as bad as results have shown,” Russell added.

“For whatever reason, sprint races have been a bit of a strength for me this season which has been a bit of a surprise.

“Five sprints and I’ve been on pole for three of them and won three of them.”

Qualifying for Sunday’s main event gets under way at 4pm local time (3pm Irish time).