Max Verstappen, on his home track, faced a fierce challenge during the second practice session for the Dutch Grand Prix, finishing fifth in a highly competitive round led by George Russell at Zandvoort.
The session showcased Russell's resurgence and fight to the front as he clocked the fastest lap time of 1:10.702 on soft tires, narrowly surpassing McLaren's Oscar Piastri by a mere 0.06 seconds. Russell's Mercedes teammate, Lewis Hamilton, completed the top three, with Verstappen securing fifth, as the top five were separated by less than three-tenths of a second.
The second practice session ended with clear skies, a stark contrast to the wind and rain that characterized FP1. However, a persistent breeze continued to challenge the drivers as George Russell, Valtteri Bottas, and Logan Sargeant jostled for track position early on. Meanwhile, Oscar Piastri requested a helmet change due to visibility issues, adding to the early drama.
Verstappen initially set the pace with a 1:12.131 on medium tires, leading Lando Norris, as the duo reversed their positions from FP1.
“Of course in FP1 we didn’t get a lot of running in but the weather cleared up for FP2 and as a result we could see a little bit more where we were," said Verstappen. "We didn’t quite have the pace on the long and short runs and at the moment there isn’t a clear answer on how to improve this, but we will look into things. This is where we have been the last few races, so it isn’t a surprise but we need to work to find a little bit more form ahead of Qualifying tomorrow."
Yet, tricky conditions led to several incidents with Russell locking up at Turn 9 with Sergio Perez and Charles Leclerc having their own brushes with the gravel.
A significant moment came when Nico Hulkenberg crashed at Turn 1, losing control under braking, which sent his Haas into the barriers and brought out red flags. Fortunately, Hulkenberg was unharmed, but his car sustained considerable damage. The session resumed with 38 minutes left, with drivers switching to soft tires for qualifying simulations. Piastri took the top spot with a 1:10.763 before Russell reclaimed it with a blistering lap.
Ferrari faced a setback as Carlos Sainz's session ended early due to a gearbox issue that left him stranded in seventh gear. As the session progressed, drivers shifted to race simulations, with Verstappen returning to mediums. The stewards noted potential unsafe releases involving Albon and Stroll, and another involving Ricciardo and Zhou, for post-session review.
In the closing stages, Leclerc got into full race form, overtaking Perez, while Piastri executed a smooth move on Gasly.
As FP2 concluded, Russell remained on top, setting the stage for an unpredictable weekend at the Dutch Grand Prix.
Teams now turn their focus to analyzing data and refining setups ahead of Saturday's final practice and the crucial qualifying session later in the day. All eyes will be on Russell to see if he can maintain his lead and who will challenge for pole position and who looks to rebound with a win after the stunning disqualification in the Belgium GP.