Russell pips Piastri by 0.061s in dry Dutch GP FP2 session

Mercedes’ George Russell completed Free Practice 2, of the Dutch Grand Prix, with the fastest time on the board as he pipped McLaren’s Oscar Piastri by 0.061s.

Feature image credit: Mercedes F1

Compared to the earlier session, the rain had stayed away from the Dutch Zandvoort circuit which meant the session was more representative of the conditions of which race day is expected to see. 

This allowed the teams to utilise the dry, slick compound tyres which they were not able to use in FP1 as a result of the wet conditions. In comparison, the majority of the field jumped out of their garages at the start of the session. 

Russell gave the session its first moment, 10 minutes in, as he locked up into turn nine and ran into the gravel trap. The Briton was able to skip across the gravel and jump back onto the circuit without issue. 

Red Bull’s Sergio Perez also shared his own moment as he was forced to use the escape road at turn one after locking up into the opening corner. 

The red flag was soon brought out, after 20 minutes, as Haas’ Nico Hulkenberg spun out as he turned into the first corner. The German’s rear tyres locked up and skipped him across the turn one gravel trap and into the barrier. 

Fortunately, Hulkenberg was able to get out and walk back to the pits. 

With 37 minutes left on the clock, the session was green-flagged once more and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen was the first driver to get back out on track. However, the session continued without further issues. 

How the second practice finished

Russell topped the second session with the fastest lap time on the board – a 1m 10.702s – with teammate, Lewis Hamilton, in third. McLaren’s Oscar Piastri completed the top three sandwiched in between the two Mercedes with the second-fastest lap.

Pastri’s teammate, Lando Norris, who had set the fastest time on the board in FP1 could only muster fourth fastest ahead of his championship rival, Verstappen who rounded out the top five. 

Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso enjoyed better fortunes in FP2 as he completed the session in sixth. The Spaniard was closely followed by RB’s Yuki Tsunoda, Haas’ Kevin Magnussen, Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Williams’ Alexander Albon who occupied seventh, eighth, ninth and 10th respectively. 

Alonso’s teammate, finished Friday in the same position he finished FP1: 11th, but he was accompanied by Red Bull’s Sergio Perez and RB’s Daniel Ricciardo in 12th and 13th.

Alpine’s Pierre Gasly was the leading driver for the team whilst Esteban Ocon completed the session down in 17th. Williams’ Logan Sargeant and Kick Sauber’s Zhou Guanyu sandwiched themselves in between the two Alpines in 15th and 16th respectively. 

Of the last running drivers, Kick Sauber’s Valtteri Bottas and Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz rounded out the field in 18th and 19th. Hulkenberg dropped to the bottom of the order, in 20th, following his untimely exit out of FP2. 

Read more Formula 1 here:

• Norris sets the fastest in rain-affected Dutch GP FP1
• Jack Doohan to drive for Alpine in 2025
• Weather Report for the F1 2024 Dutch GP
• Lewis Hamilton race engineer set to stay at Mercedes for 2025
• VCARB expecting a fight for points in Dutch GP
• McLaren have ‘renewed energy’ for the second half of F1 season

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Kamron Kent

Hi, I’m Kamron. I created ApexMotorsports.co.uk in the dying embers of the 2021 Formula 1 world championship. It allowed me freedom to write whatever I wanted to write about which was all things motorsports, my passion.

I have put a lot of effort in over the years to keep this website in its best shape and I’ve loved seeing the brand grow consistently, month-on-month, year-on-year. My ambition is to keep watching this brand grow into a primary outlet of news for all things motorsports whilst fueling my desire to pursue a career in sports journalism, specialising in motorsports.

Kamron Kent

Hi, I'm Kamron. I created ApexMotorsports.co.uk in the dying embers of the 2021 Formula 1 world championship. It allowed me freedom to write whatever I wanted to write about which was all things motorsports, my passion. I have put a lot of effort in over the years to keep this website in its best shape and I've loved seeing the brand grow consistently, month-on-month, year-on-year. My ambition is to keep watching this brand grow into a primary outlet of news for all things motorsports whilst fueling my desire to pursue a career in sports journalism, specialising in motorsports.