F1 – Lando Norris dominates Zandvoort Friday with fearless pace

Friday at Zandvoort was far from calm, yet one thing remained steady: Lando Norris. The McLaren driver kept his momentum alive by topping both sessions, stamping his authority early in the Dutch Grand Prix weekend. The key moment came when Norris delivered a stunning 1:09.890, edging Fernando Alonso by a razor-thin 0.087s. It was enough to make the paddock sit up and take notice of what McLaren might bring this weekend.

Lando Norris Dutch Grand Prix pace sets the tone

Norris had already been strong in FP1, but his FP2 run showed how well the car was hooked up to Zandvoort’s tricky curves. What stood out was how comfortable he looked switching between compounds. His early lap on mediums put daylight between himself and Alonso, and his soft-tyre effort underlined his growing confidence. He now heads into Saturday as the clear favorite.

Fernando Alonso fights back at Zandvoort

Alonso gave Aston Martin fans something to cheer about with his lap of 1:09.977. He looked aggressive through the banked corners and squeezed every fraction of grip from his car. The Spaniard has been chasing a breakthrough this season, and Zandvoort’s high-downforce demands seem to suit him well. He ended just 0.002s clear of championship leader Oscar Piastri, showing how tight the margins are at the top.

Oscar Piastri remains consistent

Piastri’s calm approach has been key to his rise as championship leader. While Norris stole the headlines, Piastri was there once again with a solid third place. His lap time of 1:09.979 was nearly identical to Alonso’s, which means McLaren could have both drivers in contention for pole. That scenario would add spice to an already heated title fight.

Engine power and performance across the field

The times revealed plenty about engine performance at Zandvoort. McLaren’s Mercedes power unit showed strong consistency on both mediums and softs, while Red Bull’s Honda package appeared less sharp than expected. Verstappen, usually dominant here, ended fifth, more than half a second adrift. Ferrari’s straight-line pace helped Lewis Hamilton reach sixth, but their balance issues remained visible through the tighter corners.

Red flags disrupt the flow

The session was far from smooth. Lance Stroll suffered heavy damage after sliding into the Turn 3 barrier, an accident that brought out red flags and a lengthy stoppage. Soon after, Alex Albon’s Williams also found the wall at Turn 1, breaking his front wing and halting the action again. For drivers trying to gather long-run data, the interruptions made setup work tricky.

Midfield stories worth noting

George Russell quietly slotted into fourth, showing Mercedes still carry one-lap pace. Further back, Nico Hülkenberg briefly went fastest before slipping to tenth, proving Sauber can still spring surprises. Franco Colapinto gave Alpine reason to smile with ninth, while rookie Ollie Bearman continued to impress by holding his own in eleventh.

Verstappen under pressure at home

Home hero Max Verstappen could not quite find his rhythm. Despite a push on softs, he ended up in fifth, 0.6s off Norris. The Dutch crowd remains behind him, but the sight of McLaren cars ahead will add tension heading into qualifying. Verstappen has a history of finding extra speed under pressure, though, and Saturday will show if that remains true.

Summary

Lando Norris once again set the pace at the Dutch Grand Prix, ahead of Fernando Alonso and Oscar Piastri in a session shaped by red flags and drama. With McLaren’s speed looking convincing and Aston Martin chasing closely, qualifying is shaping up to be a fascinating fight. If Friday is anything to go by, the Zandvoort crowd could be in for a real classic.

Disclaimer: All practice results and performances described are provisional and subject to official FIA confirmation.

Source: Fia