Russell Tops Second Practice at Dutch Grand Prix as Verstappen Struggles

George Russell clocked the fastest time in the second practice session for the Dutch Grand Prix, edging out Oscar Piastri by just 0.061 seconds. Lewis Hamilton followed closely behind in third, only 0.111 seconds off his teammate's pace. The session marked a stark contrast to the first practice, which was marred by wet conditions, allowing Mercedes and McLaren to showcase their competitive edge on a dry track. Fernando Alonso of Aston Martin secured sixth place, while Yuki Tsunoda from Red Bull and Kevin Magnussen of Haas rounded out the top eight. Championship leader Max Verstappen, who was the first to attempt a qualifying simulation, found himself struggling for pace, finishing behind the leading pack. Despite a clean lap, Red Bull's performance appeared lacking compared to their rivals, with Hamilton previously setting the fastest time on medium tires. Sergio Perez, who received public backing from Red Bull team principal Christian Horner, finished in 12th place, over eight-tenths of a second behind Russell. The long-run pace of Red Bull also raised concerns, as they seemed off the mark compared to Mercedes and McLaren. As the Formula 1 season resumes after the summer break, anticipation builds for the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort, with qualifying scheduled for 2 PM and the main race on Sunday. Fans can catch all the action live on Sky Sports F1.