August 23
2024
at
20:13
Formula 1: Desperate Verstappen continues to struggle – Norris and Russell quickest in practice in the Netherlands
Lando Norris (McLaren) and George Russell (Mercedes) both showed solid pace as they each won a practice session in Dutch Zandvoort on Friday.
McLaren driver Norris beat championship leader Max Verstappen by 0.2 seconds in the first practice session. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) followed with the third-fastest time.
In the second practice session, Mercedes driver Russell edged ahead of Oscar Piastri (McLaren) by six hundredths of a second. Hamilton clocked in for 3rd place, just five hundredths behind. Verstappen finished fifth.
– There’s a lot of work to do. Right now, we don’t have a clear answer on how to go faster, but it’s something we are looking at. It’s a bit slow. It’s as simple as that, Verstappen said after practice.
The Dutch Formula 1 star is experiencing his longest winless streak since 2020. Mercedes has taken the victory in three of the last four main races. Russell won in Austria on June 30, while Hamilton won at Silverstone and Spa. In Hungary, Piastri took victory after Norris followed team orders to let his teammate pass.
Verstappen leads the championship overall with a 78-point advantage over Norris ahead of the Formula 1 weekend in the Netherlands.
(NTB)