Norris leads Verstappen and Hamilton in a mixed-condition FP1 at Zandvoort
Red Bull Racing/Red Bull Content Pool
Lando Norris showcased exceptional speed during the opening practice session of the Dutch Grand Prix weekend, navigating through mixed track conditions to set the fastest time for McLaren.
As Formula 1 resumed after its summer break, the session kicked off in Zandvoort under wet and windy conditions. The green light at 12:30 local time saw no immediate rush from the teams, as early rain made the track treacherous.
Pierre Gasly was the first to brave the track conditions with wet weather tires on his Alpine. This came shortly after it was confirmed that his current reserve driver, Jack Doohan, will be his teammate in 2025. Gasly described the track as “pretty wild," which proved accurate when Nico Hulkenberg locked up and sent his Haas across the gravel, highlighting the tricky conditions.
Robert Shwartzman, taking over Valtteri Bottas’ Kick Sauber, was among the first on track as drivers tested the limits early on. Despite the rain subsiding 10 minutes into the session, standing water and strong winds remained a significant challenge.
Max Verstappen experienced a near-miss with a spin on intermediate tires, bringing out the yellow flags briefly but continuing unharmed. Initially, Verstappen topped the times, only to be surpassed by George Russell.
As the track dried, drivers switched to slick tires, leading to a rapid drop in lap times. Norris capitalized on this, posting a lap three seconds quicker than his intermediate effort. However, the battle for the top time was fierce. Ultimately, Norris reclaimed P1 with a time of 1:12.322 on soft tires, finishing 0.201 seconds ahead of Verstappen.
Lewis Hamilton secured third for Mercedes, while Carlos Sainz, on medium tires, finished fourth for Ferrari. Russell took fifth, followed by Alex Albon in an impressive sixth for Williams and Oscar Piastri in seventh for McLaren.
Hulkenberg and Kevin Magnussen placed eighth and ninth for Haas, respectively, while Zhou Guanyu rounded out the top ten for Kick Sauber. Positions eleven to fifteen included Lance Stroll for Aston Martin, Sergio Perez for Red Bull, Charles Leclerc for Ferrari, Yuki Tsunoda in the RB, and Fernando Alonso for Aston Martin.
Shwartzman finished 16th for Kick Sauber, ahead of Logan Sargeant of Williams (17th) and Esteban Ocon of Alpine (18th). Daniel Ricciardo was 19th for RB, with Gasly ending at the bottom in 20th.
With FP1 complete, teams and drivers will assess their performances and prepare for the second practice session, aiming to build on their findings from the challenging conditions in Zandvoort.
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