Lando Norris led the way in a disrupted second practice session at Zandvoort, as the forecasted rain held off and McLaren underlined their status as the fastest team heading into the Dutch Grand Prix weekend.
The session was punctuated by two red flags, a yellow flag, a Virtual Safety Car and a couple of off-track moments. That left the teams with little opportunity to complete long-run simulations. But amid the stop-start action, Norris again emerged fastest with a 1:09.890 min on the soft tyres. He backed up his table-topping run from FP1 earlier in the day.
Early Showers, Early Drama
Light drizzle greeted the field at the start, but the track remained dry enough for slick tyres. Andrea Kimi Antonelli, who had missed most of FP1, was among the first to bolt on the softs, aware this might be his only dry chance to sample them before qualifying.
Home favourite Max Verstappen initially stuck to the hards, telling reporters yesterday that Zandvoort may not play to Red Bull’s strengths. His loyal orange-clad supporters were out in force nonetheless, hoping their three-time Dutch GP winner could once again deliver.
The session was halted just 12 minutes in when Lance Stroll suffered a heavy crash at Turn 3. The Canadian locked up entering the banked corner and slid straight into the barriers, thankfully walking away unhurt.
Hadjar’s Woes, Albon’s Misfortune
Once running resumed, it didn’t take long for more trouble. Rookie Isack Hadjar, the last to venture out, ground to a halt with a loss of power after reporting issues in the garage. Marshals pushed his car to safety, avoiding another red flag but costing him valuable mileage.
Not long after, Lewis Hamilton’s spin at Turn 9 on fresh softs added to the day frustrations, though he recovered to set a lap despite flat-spotting his tyres. Alex Albon wasn’t so fortunate: the Williams driver slid into the gravel at Turn 1 and nudged the barrier, bringing out the second red flag with just over 20 minutes to go.
Tight at the Top
When the track went green again, the sun broke through, offering a final chance for dry runs. Norris quickly made the most of it, leaping to the top. Fernando Alonso once again showcased Aston Martin’s pace, slotting into second less than a tenth behind, while Oscar Piastri ended third, just 0.002s adrift of Alonso.
Haas’ Nico Hülkenberg had briefly led after his own run on softs, eventually finishing fourth ahead of Charles Leclerc and Hamilton. Ferrari enjoyed a more solid outing compared to FP1, placing both cars inside the top 10.
Antonelli had a lively session, dipping a wheel into the gravel late on but recovering well. Still, his interrupted Friday leaves him with less preparation than he would have liked for tomorrow’s qualifying.
Pit Lane Chaos, Investigation Looms
One flashpoint came during the second red-flag stoppage, when Piastri was waved past his McLaren pit box before being redirected, pulling back out into the path of George Russell. The incident will be investigated by the stewards post-session. This type of incident should fall into the fine section.
The Bigger Picture
With a few incidents on track and only fleeting opportunities for consistent running, Friday’s practice offered few conclusive answers on race pace. Yet, what is clear is that McLaren have carried their mid-season momentum into the second half of the campaign.
Norris, winner of three of the last four races, appears at ease with Zandvoort’s gusty conditions. The wind unsettled several rivals but not the Briton. His dominance a year ago at this venue, when he took pole and a commanding victory, will only add to his confidence.
Alonso and Aston Martin continue to look threatening, while Verstappen may need either a dose of wet weather or some home magic to challenge for victory on Sunday. For some rookies, Hadjar and Antonelli, it was a bruising day. But the limited running at a circuit as technical as Zandvoort could prove costly.