Russell tops FP2 while Verstappen P5 in disrupted session

George Russell led a Mercedes 1-3 in Friday's second practice session for the 2024 Dutch Grand Prix, with his lap of 1m10.702s just 0.061s clear of McLaren's Oscar Piastri.

Lewis Hamilton completed the top three, showcasing a tight field with the top five separated by less than half a second.

The day began dramatically, with FP1 subjected to rain and strong winds. As FP2 started under clearer skies, teams were eager to make up for lost dry running time.

Max Verstappen initially set the pace on medium tires, before Hamilton broke into the 1m11s.

The session was interrupted when Nico Hulkenberg crashed his Haas at Tarzan, bringing out red flags.

Upon resuming, teams switched to soft tires for qualifying simulations. Verstappen briefly reclaimed the top spot, but was quickly surpassed by the McLaren duo and ultimately Russell.

Verstappen finished fifth, while his teammate Sergio Perez could only manage 12th.

Ferrari faced setbacks with Carlos Sainz sidelined due to a gearbox issue and Charles Leclerc managing only the ninth-fastest time.

As teams focused on long-run data gathering, wind continued to pose challenges.

The mixed weather forecast for Saturday heightened the importance of understanding tire degradation for Sunday's race.

The session concluded with two incidents of potential unsafe pit releases under investigation by the stewards.