Norris Leads FP1 at Zandvoort as Verstappen Faces Early Challenges

Lando Norris of McLaren topped the timesheets in the opening practice session for the Dutch Grand Prix, finishing ahead of teammate Oscar Piastri by 0.292 seconds. The session, held in windy conditions at Zandvoort, saw several incidents, including spins for Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso.

Norris recorded a best lap of 1m 10.278s before his session ended prematurely when he locked up at Turn 9 and beached his car in the gravel. Max Verstappen also faced issues, running into the gravel at Turn 1 after the chequered flag. Despite these disruptions, Piastri secured the third-fastest time, followed by Lance Stroll and Alex Albon.

Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton had a subdued session, finishing 14th and 15th respectively. Leclerc expressed frustration, stating that Ferrari was "miles off" the pace.

The teams will now analyze their data ahead of the second practice session to refine their setups for the weekend.