SURPRISINGLY: Norris Beat Verstappen, Hamilton and…in Thrilling FP1 Session at… Full Detailsđ
Norris Beat Verstappen, Hamilton and…in Thrilling FP1 Session at… Full Detailsđ
Lando Norris set the pace in the opening practice session for the 2024 FIA Formula 1 Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort, outpacing championship leader Max Verstappen by two-tenths of a second. As Formula 1 returned to action after its traditional summer break, the McLaren driver showcased his speed on a track that started off wet but improved significantly as the session progressed.
The session began under challenging conditions, with strong winds and rain impacting the early stages. Alpine’s Pierre Gasly described the track as âwild,â and as a result, there were few early takers. When the track began to improve, Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc was the first to set a timed lap, posting a 1:26.530 on wet tires. Haas’ Nico HĂźlkenberg followed closely, slotting into second place but still 1.5 seconds behind Leclerc. The Ferrari driver then improved to a 1:26.111, holding onto the top spot for a while.
As the session moved on, local hero Max Verstappen emerged on intermediate tires. However, his first attempt at a flying lap didnât go as planned, as he spun after taking too much curb at Turn 11. Undeterred, Verstappen regrouped and posted a 1:21.300, nearly five seconds quicker than Leclercâs best time on wet tires, immediately putting him at the top of the timesheets.
The track continued to evolve, and Mercedes’ George Russell was next to take advantage of the improving conditions. He clocked a 1:20.444, moving ahead of Verstappen and setting a new benchmark. However, it wasnât long before Norris joined the fray. On his first lap on intermediate tires, the McLaren driver edged ahead of Russell with a time of 1:20.392.
With the sun finally breaking through the clouds, the track began to dry quickly, and the switch to slick tires became inevitable. As the session entered its final stages, lap times began to tumble, and Norris further lowered the bar with a soft tire run, posting a 1:17.367 to go fastest. However, McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri responded by knocking over a second off that time, setting a 1:15.971.
The rapid improvements in lap times continued, with Russell briefly regaining the top spot with a 1:15.900, just 0.071 seconds quicker than Piastri. But both McLaren drivers found more speed as the track conditions improved further. Norris eventually posted a 1:12.818, setting a new fastest time.
Just as it seemed Norris might end the session on top, Lewis Hamilton joined the fight, but it was Verstappen who made a late surge with a 1:12.523, propelling him above Hamilton and into P1. Nevertheless, Norris wasnât done yet. In the final moments of the session, the McLaren driver reclaimed the fastest time, clocking a 1:12.322 to finish FP1 at the top of the leaderboard. Verstappen had to settle for second, 0.201 seconds behind, while Hamilton rounded out the top three.
Ferrariâs Carlos Sainz also found some late pace to secure fourth place, while George Russell, despite being bumped from the top, finished fifth. Williamsâ Alex Albon continued to impress, placing sixth just behind Russell. Piastri, after briefly holding the fastest time earlier in the session, ended up seventh. Haas duo Nico HĂźlkenberg and Kevin Magnussen delivered solid performances, finishing eighth and ninth, respectively. Zhou Guanyu completed the top 10 for Sauber.
Lance Stroll of Aston Martin narrowly missed out on a top-10 finish, taking 11th, followed by Red Bull’s Sergio PĂŠrez, who struggled to find the pace and ended the session in 12th. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, who had led the session early on, ultimately finished 13th, with Yuki Tsunoda in 14th for Red Bullâs junior team. Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso, who has been a standout performer this season, couldnât find his usual form and ended the session in 15th place.
Further down the order, Robert Shwartzman, standing in for Sauber, placed 16th. Logan Sargeant of Williams finished 17th, while Alpineâs Esteban Ocon, who also struggled with the changing conditions, was 18th. Daniel Ricciardo, back in F1 with Red Bullâs junior team, finished a disappointing 19th, while Gasly, who described the conditions as âwildâ early on, brought up the rear in 20th.
As the first session of the Dutch Grand Prix weekend, FP1 set the stage for what promises to be an exciting race weekend at Zandvoort. With changing conditions, rapid improvements in lap times, and fierce competition at the top, the battle for supremacy in the Netherlands is far from over.
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