McLaren’s Lando Norris set the pace during the first practice session at the Dutch Grand Prix, navigating a windy and rain-affected Zandvoort circuit to post the fastest time of 1:12.322. The session, which was limited to just a few minutes of dry running, saw drivers grapple with strong gales and a track that slowly dried out in the final 10 minutes.
Heavy rain prior to the one-hour session kept several drivers in their garages initially, but as the track conditions improved, the circuit became a hive of activity. Norris, who has been in impressive form this season, was the first to make the most of the improving conditions, moving to the top of the timesheets before World Champion Max Verstappen briefly took over.
However, Norris reclaimed the top spot with a strong lap on Soft tyres, finishing 0.201 seconds ahead of Verstappen, who has dominated the Dutch Grand Prix since its return to the calendar in 2021. The result is a promising start for McLaren, which is rolling out its most significant upgrade package since its breakthrough at the Miami Grand Prix earlier this year.
Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton clocked the third-fastest time, though his bid to challenge for the top was hampered by traffic in the final sector. Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz was the quickest driver on Medium tyres, securing fourth place, followed by Mercedes’ George Russell and Williams’ Alex Albon.
Williams, which has introduced its largest upgrade package of the season, aimed at reducing the weight of the FW46, saw Albon place sixth despite the car still being slightly above the minimum weight limit.
Oscar Piastri, who has been a standout rookie this season, placed seventh in the session for McLaren, with Haas drivers Nico Hulkenberg and Kevin Magnussen following in eighth and ninth, respectively. Zhou Guanyu of Sauber rounded out the top 10.
Ferrari test driver Robert Shwartzman made his first FP1 appearance of the season, taking over Valtteri Bottas’ Sauber seat for the session, and finished 16th overall.
With the weather continuing to play a significant role, the weekend promises to be an unpredictable and challenging affair as teams adjust to both the elements and their latest upgrades.
Photo from McLaren Instagram
