Lando Norris again topped final practice at Zandvoort as the Dutch Grand Prix weekend moved toward qualifying, beating McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri by 0.242 seconds. The two McLarens pulled clear of the rest of the field, with Norris’s pace clearly in a league of its own during the session.
Norris’s advantage extended to 0.886 seconds over third-placed George Russell, as the rest of the top tier clung to a tight group behind him. In the battle for the next positions, the order included the usual suspects from Ferrari, Red Bull and the factory Mercedes pairing, keeping pace in the same cluster rather than widening the gap.
Lewis Hamilton was further back in 14th, 0.435 seconds off his teammate’s best time, continuing a session where Ferrari and Mercedes had displayed contrasting fortunes at times and where the gaps between the front and the rest remained clear.
Friday’s practice sessions were interrupted by a series of red flags and near-misses, but the final run of the day was incident-free after overnight rain cleaned the Zandvoort track. Among the near-misses, Fernando Alonso’s Aston Martin had to dive into the pit lane to avoid a slow lap from Russell, preventing Alonso from posting what looked set to be a faster time. Alonso had been second fastest on Friday, but the late development left him in 10th by the end of the session. His team-mate Lance Stroll finished eighth, ahead of Williams’ Alex Albon and Racing Point’s Isack Hadjar in a compact section of the field.
What this means going into qualifying
– McLaren arrive at qualifying with the clear pace advantage in practice, giving Norris a strong platform to convert into pole if the momentum continues.
– Piastri sits close behind in the second slot, keeping the pressure on Norris and maintaining a potential front-row lockout for the team.
– The remainder of the top order remains tightly bunched, with Russell, Sainz, Verstappen and Leclerc in the fight for competitive positions and clean air for the pick of strategies.
– Track conditions, sudden weather changes, and traffic remain influential factors in the Dutch GP weekend, so qualifying will be pivotal to set the tone for Sunday.
Summary
Norris led final practice at Zandvoort with a standout lap that put McLaren in a strong position ahead of qualifying, ahead of Piastri by a narrow margin. The session featured a mix of pace and near-misses as teams prepared for the next critical session, with Alonso’s late incident shaping where he finished. If Norris can carry this form into qualifying, McLaren could reinforce their position in the title race against Piastri as the season moves into its late-stages stretch.
Extra value and thoughts
– The results reinforce McLaren’s resurgence this weekend and set up an exciting clash with Piastri in qualifying. A front-row pairing would give Norris a clear path to consolidate his title challenge in the coming races.
– Track evolution and tire choices will be key in Q1–Q3, and teams will be watching how the Dutch weather and track temperature evolve as race day approaches.
– Fans can expect a highly tactical qualifying session, with potential threats from the mid-pack for a front-row slot depending on prep and risk-taking in the low-fuel runs.
Overall sentiment: Positive for McLaren and Norris, with a clear indication that the pace and momentum from practice could translate into a competitive qualifying and potentially a strong Sunday in the Dutch Grand Prix.