Norris leads the FP2 at Zandvoort - Alonso and Piastri follow

Lando Norris continued his dominant form at Zandvoort by topping both Friday practice sessions for the 2025 Dutch Grand Prix, setting the pace in FP2 with a 1:09.890. The McLaren driver edged out Fernando Alonso by just 0.087s, with Oscar Piastri a mere 0.002s further back in third. But while the timesheets suggest a tight fight at the front, the reality is that this was a heavily disrupted session that left teams with more questions than answers.

FP2 Recap: Red Flags, VSCs and Missed Running

The second practice session was chaotic from the outset. Lance Stroll brought out the first red flag after a heavy crash at Turn 3, locking up on the banking and hitting the barriers hard. Thankfully, he walked away unhurt, but Aston Martin now face a significant overnight repair job.

Not long after the restart, Isack Hadjar’s Racing Bulls car ground to a halt with a loss of power, triggering a Virtual Safety Car. The rookie had already missed FP1 due to an earlier issue, meaning he ended the day without a representative lap time.

The second red flag came courtesy of Alex Albon, who slid into the Turn 1 gravel and made light contact with the barriers. Like Stroll, his session was over on the spot, and Williams will also be busy in the garage tonight.

In between the stoppages, there was a pit lane near-miss involving Piastri and George Russell, which will be investigated by the stewards. The McLaren driver initially pulled into the wrong pit box before rejoining into Russell’s path, forcing the Mercedes man to take evasive action.

Top Performers

Lando Norris – McLaren

Norris once again looked in complete control, delivering his best lap on the soft tyres despite gusty winds and a green track. His sector three pace was particularly strong, topping the charts with a 21.201s split. Having taken pole and a dominant win here last year, he’s clearly comfortable around Zandvoort.

Fernando Alonso – Aston Martin

Alonso split the McLarens with a superb lap on the medium tyres, underlining Aston Martin’s strong one-lap pace. The Spaniard was fastest in sector two and looks well-placed to challenge if conditions stay dry.

Oscar Piastri – McLaren

Piastri was just 0.089s off Norris, but admitted to a scruffy moment at Turn 9 late in the session. He’ll have access to Norris’ data overnight, which could be crucial in closing the gap before qualifying.

Notable Struggles

Lewis Hamilton spun for the second time today, flat-spotting a fresh set of softs at Turn 9. He still managed P6, but Ferrari will be concerned about the lost tyre life.
Max Verstappen could only manage P5 on the hard tyres, suggesting Red Bull may be holding back – or that the Dutchman is hoping for rain to level the playing field.
Rookies Kimi Antonelli and Isack Hadjar both lost significant running, Antonelli after an off in FP1 and Hadjar due to mechanical issues in FP2.

The Bigger Picture

With two red flags, a VSC, and intermittent drizzle, no team managed a proper race simulation. That’s a major headache given the uncertainty over the weather – forecasts suggest FP3 and qualifying could be wet, leaving teams to make strategic calls with incomplete data.

Pirelli’s softer C2–C4 allocation could push the race towards a two-stop strategy, but tyre degradation figures are almost non-existent after today’s interruptions.

FP2 Classification – Top 10

Lando Norris – McLaren – 1:09.890 (Soft)
Fernando Alonso – Aston Martin – +0.087 (Medium)
Oscar Piastri – McLaren – +0.089 (Soft)
George Russell – Mercedes – +0.384 (Hard)
Max Verstappen – Red Bull – +0.588 (Hard)
Lewis Hamilton – Ferrari – +0.848 (Hard)
Yuki Tsunoda – Red Bull – +0.905 (Medium)
Charles Leclerc – Ferrari – +0.944 (Soft)
Franco Colapinto – Alpine – +1.067 (Soft)
Nico Hülkenberg – Kick Sauber – +1.190 (Medium)

What to Watch for Tomorrow

Will the forecast rain arrive for FP3 and qualifying?
Can Aston Martin convert their strong Friday pace into a front-row challenge?
Will Red Bull reveal their true speed, or are they genuinely on the back foot?
How will limited long-run data affect race strategy calls?

If Saturday stays dry, Norris is the man to beat. But at Zandvoort, with its unforgiving layout and unpredictable weather, nothing is guaranteed.