Kimi Antonelli wasted no time reminding everyone why he's leading the championship. The Mercedes driver topped the timing sheets in Friday's opening practice session at Zandvoort, even after a spin at Turn 9 that nearly sent him into the wall. His team-mate George Russell rounded out a strong showing for the Silver Arrows by finishing third, with McLaren and Ferrari drivers also right in the mix.

More F1 news: Antonelli Tops FP1 at Zandvoort as Ferrari Bring Fresh Upgrades to Dutch GP

The track was cool and damp when Nico Hülkenberg kicked things off for Audi on intermediates, but it didn't take long for the field to transition to slicks once Oscar Piastri proved it was possible on the medium compound. After the first fifteen minutes, Antonelli had the edge, but the session turned into a proper battle for pace as Lewis Hamilton flashed a fastest time before Lando Norris responded, then Max Verstappen briefly went quickest with a 25.6 second lap.

Verstappen's early pace didn't seem to lift his mood much, though. The four-time world champion was visibly frustrated over the radio, complaining about downshifting issues that nearly forced him into the barrier. He's not the only one dealing with problems either, as Carlos Sainz ploughed through the gravel at Turn 13, triggering yellow flags early on.

More F1 news: Antonelli Leads the Way at Zandvoort as Lawson Impresses in Surprise Red Bull Drive

Teams clearly came to Zandvoort ready to push forward after the summer break. Alpine rolled in with the biggest upgrade package of the weekend, packing eight new parts including a fresh underbody and rear wing. Ferrari brought a new underbody, Aston Martin tinkered with the front wing and diffuser, and McLaren made changes to the rear wing and engine cover. Meanwhile, Audi, Williams, Racing Bulls, Haas and Cadillac opted to skip new developments for this round.

More F1 news: Antonelli Quickest in Wet to Dry Zandvoort Friday as Mercedes Leads the Way

There was also a changing of the guard in one seat, with Yuki Tsunoda getting behind the wheel for Racing Bulls after taking over from Liam Lawson, who'd stepped in for the injured Isack Hadjar in the Red Bull. Tsunoda settled into 14th place by the halfway stage, suggesting he's shaking off the rust after some time away from full-time racing duties.

Shop the collection: Max Verstappen merch  •  Lando Norris merch  •  Oscar Piastri merch  •  Lewis Hamilton merch  •  George Russell merch  •  Kimi Antonelli merch  •  Carlos Sainz merch  •  McLaren merch  •  Scuderia Ferrari merch  •  Red Bull Racing merch  •  Mercedes-AMG merch  •  Aston Martin merch  •  Williams Racing merch  •  Haas merch  •  VCARB merch  •  Audi merch  •  Cadillac merch