The wait is over. After almost a month without races, Formula 1 returns to the tracks this weekend for the Dutch Grand Prix, the 12th round of the 2026 season. Between August 21 and 23, drivers and teams return to action at the Zandvoort circuit, marking the start of the second part of the championship after the traditional European summer break.
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The last round before the break was the Hungarian GP, held on July 26. The race closed the first half of the season consisting of 11 rounds and a particularly intense sequence before the pause, with Belgium and Hungary held on consecutive weekends.
Kimi Antonelli arrives at the restart as one of the main protagonists of 2026. The Mercedes driver built a strong campaign in the first part of the championship and enters the final stretch of the season as a reference in the title fight. Ferrari, Red Bull, and McLaren, on the other hand, will have their first opportunity after the break at Zandvoort to try to change the balance of power shown before the pause.
The restart also puts Gabriel Bortoleto back in action for Audi. The Brazilian finished the Belgian GP in eighth place and accumulated important results during the first half of the championship, now seeking to maintain his progress in the remainder of the season.
The first challenge after the break will be quite particular. Zandvoort is one of the narrowest and most technical tracks on the calendar, combining fast corners, elevation changes, and sections where drivers have little margin for error.
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One of the main features of the Dutch circuit is its banked corners. Sections like Hugenholtz and Arie Luyendyk feature steep banking and help create a lap quite different from those found at most Formula 1 circuits. The difficulty in overtaking also increases the importance of qualifying and track position during the race.
The weekend will be held in the conventional format. The schedule starts on Friday, August 21, with FP1 and FP2. On Saturday, FP3 and qualifying take place, while the Dutch GP will be held on Sunday, the 23rd.
More than just another round on the calendar, Zandvoort opens a new phase of the championship. After three weeks without track activities, drivers and teams return to racing with the title fights entering an increasingly important period.
F1Mania.net follows the entire Race Week of the Dutch GP, with news, analysis, behind-the-scenes, and full coverage of the 12th round of the 2026 Formula 1 season.
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