Lando Norris Dominates Dutch GP Practice Amidst Stroll Crash and Red Flags

Lando Norris showcased his dominance at the Dutch Grand Prix by setting the fastest time in the second practice session (FP2) at the challenging Zandvoort circuit. The McLaren driver continued his strong form from FP1, clocking a blistering lap of 1m 09.890s on soft tires. His performance edged out Fernando Alonso of Aston Martin by a mere 0.087 seconds, with teammate Oscar Piastri rounding out the top three, though Piastri is under investigation for a pit lane incident with George Russell.

The session was marred by multiple interruptions, the most significant being a heavy crash involving Aston Martin's Lance Stroll. Stroll lost control of his car at Turn 3, making direct contact with the barriers. The incident occurred as drivers were pushing hard in anticipation of changing weather conditions. Stroll later confirmed he was unharmed, though the crash brought back memories of a similar incident in 2023 that sidelined him for five races.

Aside from Stroll's crash, the session also saw a red flag for Alex Albon going off track. Despite the disruptions, the competition remained fierce. George Russell placed fourth in his Mercedes, while home favorite Max Verstappen finished sixth, six-tenths behind Norris. Conditions varied throughout the session, adding to the complexity. Lewis Hamilton, despite two spins, managed to stay competitive, as did others like Nico Hulkenberg and Carlos Sainz.

The session has set the stage for an exciting qualifying round, with drivers needing to balance aggression and caution on the notoriously tricky Zandvoort circuit.