Lando Norris led the way on Friday at Zandvoort, topping both practice sessions for the Dutch Grand Prix and underlining McLaren’s growing momentum in the Formula 1 title fight. The Briton set the pace in FP1 with a 1:10.278 and followed it up by leading FP2 as well, finishing the day ahead of team-mate Oscar Piastri and Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso.
The weekend began under dry but windy skies after Formula 1’s summer break. The early running in FP1 featured plenty of drama. Lewis Hamilton was among the first to hit trouble, spinning his Ferrari in a 360-degree loop before reporting flat-spotted tires. Soon after, Yuki Tsunoda went off and Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli found himself stranded in the Turn 9 gravel, triggering a red flag.
Once the session resumed, Max Verstappen briefly went quickest to the delight of the home crowd, but Norris eclipsed him and powered McLaren into a one-two with Piastri. The pair ultimately finished clear of Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll, who impressed in third during the closing stages, while Alonso backed up the team’s pace in fourth. Alex Albon slotted into fifth for Williams ahead of Verstappen in sixth after the Dutchman ended his session in the gravel following a practice start at Turn 1.
The rest of the top ten included George Russell, Carlos Sainz, Gabriel Bortoleto, and Pierre Gasly. Ferrari endured a subdued FP1, with Charles Leclerc only 14th and Hamilton 15th, the Monegasque grimly declaring the team were “miles off.” Behind them, Tsunoda placed 16th, while Esteban Ocon, Franco Colapinto, Ollie Bearman, and Antonelli completed the order.
The afternoon session brought even bigger drama. Stroll, fresh from his P3 finish in FP1, carried too much speed into the banked Turn 3 and slammed into the barriers. His Aston Martin sustained heavy damage, but the Canadian climbed out unhurt. Verstappen, who was behind him at the time, immediately asked over the radio if Stroll’s hands were OK after witnessing the violent impact.
Despite the setback, Aston Martin still looked competitive, with Alonso splitting the McLarens in FP2 to take second. Norris once again finished on top, narrowly ahead of Piastri, marking his third consecutive session where he has set the benchmark. The Briton has won three of the last four races, including Hungary before the break, and has closed the championship gap to just nine points behind Piastri with ten rounds left.
George Russell managed fourth for Mercedes, though nearly four-tenths off Norris, while Hamilton’s struggles continued. After his early spin in FP1, he endured another rotation in FP2 but salvaged sixth. Leclerc improved to eighth in the second Ferrari, but both Scuderia drivers remained well behind the leaders.
For Verstappen, it was a frustrating homecoming. The four-time world champion beached his car in FP1 and could manage no better than sixth in FP2, finishing nearly six-tenths behind Norris. The Dutch fans will hope for a turnaround before qualifying. Williams also had a setback when Alex Albon crashed into the wall in FP2 before sliding into the gravel.
As the first day at Zandvoort wrapped, McLaren’s momentum continued to grow, with Norris sending a clear message to the grid. Aston Martin looked like the closest challengers despite Stroll’s crash, while Ferrari and Verstappen struggled to keep pace. With rain possible later in the weekend, Friday’s long-run data may prove crucial as teams prepare for what could be an unpredictable Dutch Grand Prix.