Norris, Russell on top in first two Dutch Grand Prix practices

AFP | Zandvoort

The Daily Tribune - www.newsofbahrain.com   

British drivers Lando Norris and George Russell secured the bragging rights after the first day of practice for the Dutch Grand Prix on Friday, with local hero Max Verstappen in unfamiliar territory behind them. Russell set a lap time of 1:10.702 early in the second hour-long practice session and it was never beaten, Oscar Piastri from Australia coming in 0.061 seconds behind.

Verstappen trailed in fifth, 0.284 seconds behind Russell’s Mercedes, having been pipped into second by Norris in the day’s first practice session. The second session was paused for six minutes while officials cleared debris off the track after Nico Hulkenberg crashed his Haas as his rear tyres locked up.

In the first practice session earlier Friday, the drivers had to deal with typical Dutch weather that swung from torrential rain to bright sunshine and back within minutes. Even Verstappen spun his Red Bull on the wet track but as the clouds parted and the sun emerged, so did quicker lap times, with the lead changing hands several times.

In a thrilling last lap, Verstappen took the lead only to be pipped by Norris, who turned in a lap of 1:12.322, just 0.201 seconds ahead of his Dutch rival. Verstappen, 26, has never lost at his “home” Grand Prix since it was reintroduced to the circuit in 2021. The three-time champion had a blistering start to the season, picking up from where he left off in 2023 with seven wins out of the first 10.