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.

See AP’s full auto racing coverage here

Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands attends a news conference ahead of the Dutch Formula One Grand Prix in Zandvoort, Netherlands, Thursday, Aug. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Patrick Post)

Manchester City is making another major sale after reaching an agreement with Tottenham for the transfer of Brazil winger Savinho.

The clubs have agreed to a deal for Savinho worth 85 million pounds ($115 million), making it a club-record sale for City, a person with knowledge of the transaction confirmed to The Associated Press on Friday.

The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because the details of the deal have not been made public.

Neither City nor Tottenham have made any official comment about the transfer.

The imminent departure of Savinho comes days after City sold Spain captain Rodri to Barcelona a deal worth 76.5 million euros ($88.5 million).

City has also sold midfielder Tijjani Reijnders, defender Nathan Ake and released John Stones and Bernardo Silva this offseason, with the only senior outfield addition being England midfielder Elliot Anderson for a reported club-record fee of 116 million pounds ($155 million).

It means City — swatted aside 3-0 by Arsenal in the Community Shield on Sunday — is likely to be busy in the final week of the summer transfer window as Enzo Maresca, the recently hired coach following the departure of Pep Guardiola, reshapes the squad for a new era.

Savinho joined City from sister club Girona for 40 million euros ($43.6 million) in the summer of 2024 to much fanfare, but didn't live up to his billing as a potential star of the future.

He scored two goals in 53 Premier League appearances, with his final ball and decision-making often a frustration for teammates and fans alike.

Savinho didn't make Brazil's squad for this year's World Cup.

It would be yet another expensive signing for Tottenham, which brought in Italy midfielder Sandro Tonali from Newcastle last month for a reported club-record fee of 100 million pounds ($133 million) just a few days after purchasing midfielder Mateus Fernandes from West Ham for 85 million pounds ($113 million).

Center backs Jan Paul van Hecke and Marco Senesi have also joined along with former Liverpool left back Andy Robertson, as Tottenham manager Roberto De Zerbi rebuilds a team that escaped relegation from the Premier League on the final day of last season.

If Savinho joins, Spurs will be rivaling Chelsea as the biggest spender in Europe this offseason — a reversal in policy for a club that has long trailed its fellow Premier League giants in terms of outlay of players.

Two straight 17th-place finishes — one spot above the relegation zone — appears to have spooked the leadership at Tottenham, with chairman Peter Charrington writing in an open letter after last season that “football success had not been driving our decisions.”

See AP’s full soccer coverage here

Manchester City's Savinho, center, battles for the ball with Atletico Madrid's Dani Martinez, left, and Obed Vargas during the preseason friendly soccer match between Manchester City and Atletico Madrid in Seoul, South Korea, Sunday, Aug. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)