First Free Practice Results & Report 2024 Dutch F1 Grand Prix

Event: Dutch Grand Prix
Track: Zandvoort circuit

Weather: wet/dry  20°C
Tarmac: wet/dry  20.9°C
Humidity : 85%
Wind : 26.6 km/h South-East

Norris Tops Chaotic Opening Practice at Windy Zandvoort

The 2024 Formula 1 season roared back to life at the Zandvoort Circuit for the Dutch Grand Prix, with a tumultuous opening practice session that saw McLaren's Lando Norris claim the top spot. Battling fierce winds and intermittent rain, the drivers faced a challenging return to the track after the summer break.

A Session of Changing Conditions

The day began under ominous skies, with rain making an early appearance just as the session was getting underway. The combination of a wet track and gusty winds—reaching up to 76 kph—set the stage for an unpredictable practice. The tricky conditions kept many teams cautious initially, with only a few drivers venturing out in the opening minutes.

As the track began to dry, the drivers switched from full wet tires to intermediates and eventually to slicks, leading to a flurry of activity in the final moments. Norris was the standout performer, clocking a 1:12.322 on the soft tires to edge out home favorite Max Verstappen by two-tenths of a second.

Halfway Order

The top 10 order after 30 minutes into this FP1 session was:

1. Charles Leclerc 1:26.111 min (W)
2. Nico Hulkenberg +0.131 sec (W)
3. George Russell +0.185 sec (W)

Only three drivers had set a lap time up till then.

Verstappen Faces Early Struggles

The Dutch crowd had their eyes firmly on Max Verstappen, the hometown hero who has dominated at Zandvoort in recent years. However, the Red Bull driver had a challenging start, struggling with the treacherous conditions. Verstappen had a brief spin early in the session after taking too much kerb at Turn 11, a moment that highlighted just how difficult the track was to navigate. Despite this, he managed to bounce back, securing the second-fastest time of the session.

McLaren Impresses with Upgrades

McLaren continued their strong form from the first half of the season, with Norris leading the charge. The team brought several updates to Zandvoort, including a new floor edge, rear wing, and beam wing. These upgrades seemed to pay off immediately, with Norris consistently at the sharp end of the timesheets. Oscar Piastri also showed promise, briefly holding the top spot before finishing in the top five.

Mercedes and Ferrari in the Mix

Mercedes looked competitive as well, with George Russell spending some time at the top of the leaderboard before settling into third. His teammate Lewis Hamilton faced traffic on his final push lap but still managed a respectable fourth place. Ferrari, meanwhile, remained somewhat of an enigma. Carlos Sainz set a solid time on medium tires late in the session, but the Scuderia's overall pace is still a bit of a mystery heading into the rest of the weekend.

Quickest Sector Times

The fastest sector times on Zandvoort during this FP1 were:

• Sector 1: 24.630 sec by Lando Norris with the McLaren MCL38.
• Sector 2: 25.915 sec by Lewis Hamilton the Mercedes W15.
• Sector 3: 21.761 sec by Lando Norris with the McLaren MCL38.

A Glimpse at the Weekend Ahead

With the weather forecast predicting more rain and strong winds for the remainder of the weekend, teams will need to stay on their toes. FP2, scheduled for later in the day, is expected to be another crucial session as teams fine-tune their setups for what could be a very unpredictable qualifying and race.

As the sun finally made a brief appearance at the end of FP1, the stage is set for an exciting Dutch Grand Prix weekend. McLaren has thrown down the gauntlet, but with conditions likely to change, it’s anyone’s guess who will come out on top.

The quickest lap time of last year's FP1 was a 1:11,852 min, set by Max Verstappen in the Red Bull RB19.

FP1 Times Table 2024 Dutch GP

✅ Don't forget to check out our 2024 Dutch F1 Grand Prix preview info.

✅ Check out more posts with related topics: