The second Free Practice session at Zandvoort proved a pivotal one for the F1 Academy field, as drivers prepared for Saturday’s qualifying. It marks the third consecutive year the championship has visited the Dutch circuit.
Weather on Everyone’s Mind
As ever, the weather loomed large over the seaside track. Heavy clouds hung overhead and, although conditions remained stable at the start, the unpredictable Dutch skies kept everyone on edge. Rain showers had already disrupted Formula 1’s FP2 earlier in the afternoon, prompting a five-minute delay before the Academy cars could head out.
Doriane Pin was the first to set the pace, though Chloe Chambers quickly responded, just 0.051s adrift, with Maya Weug another 0.148s behind. The trio traded fastest laps in the opening exchanges as the first drops of rain began to fall.
Showers Intensify
By the halfway mark the showers intensified, offering teams valuable mileage on wet tyres and forcing drivers to adapt to the circuit’s rapidly changing grip levels. Emely Crone was the first to commit to the full wet compound, venturing out while most of the field remained cautious in the pits.
Drama struck when Chambers, holding the fastest time, slid into the gravel at Turn 12, bringing out a yellow flag. Not long after, Lia Anagnostiadis suffered a similar fate in the final sector, further underlining the treacherous conditions.
Chambers Holds On
When the chequered flag fell, Chambers had reclaimed the top spot with a best lap of 1:36.873. Weug slotted into second, only 0.150s behind, while Pin settled for third, 0.418s off the pace.
With qualifying looming tomorrow, the FP2 running offered not just a glimpse of the frontrunners’ pace, but also a reminder of how quickly fortunes can change at Zandvoort – especially when the weather takes centre stage.