Norris quickest from Verstappen in rain and wind-affected first practice · RaceFans

Lando Norris was fastest by two tenths of a second from Max Verstappen in a wet and windy first practice session for the Dutch Grand Prix.

Sporting a new rear wing on his McLaren, Norris got his weekend off to a positive start by setting the pace as the Zandvoort circuit dried late in the opening hour of running, posting the best time of all with a lap of 1’12.322.

As expected, the opening hour of practice at the seaside circuit was hit by heavy rain and stiff winds. Only a handful of cars ventured out on the track when the session began, including Ferrari junior Robert Shwartzman, who stepped into Valtteri Bottas’ car for the opening session.

Nico Hulkenberg had a slow speed off at turn ten, but he was able to recover from the gravel trap back onto the circuit. However, he then had a second off just under ten minutes later, this time at turn nine.

It took until 17 minutes into the session for the first timed lap to be completed in the session, courtesy of Charles Leclerc in his Ferrari. He posted a 1’26.111 on wet tyres, a time that was 1.5s quicker than Hulkenberg’s first attempt. After completing his lap the Haas driver then ran off at the first corner, Tarzan, his third such excursion in the space of 20 minutes.

Just before the mid point of the session, the rain started to subside and the sun peeked out from behind the clouds for the first time. That led to Red Bull sending Max Verstappen out for the first time, becoming the first driver to take to the track on intermediate tyres. However, the championship leader’s first timed lap was ruined by a spin into the slow chicane at the start of the final sector.

Norris moved to the top of the times with a 1’20.395, but the track fell quiet as it started to become even too dry for intermediates. Eventually, with under 15 minutes remaining, drivers started to head out on soft tyres with a clear dry line having emerged. Norris used the quickest compound to immediately shave three seconds off the best time of the hour so far, but times soon began to tumble as the track continued to dry up.

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In the final minutes, all 20 drivers were out on track. By the time of the chequered flag, Norris set the best time of the session with a 1’12.322, while Verstappen went second with a time two tenths slower than his rival.

Lewis Hamilton was third-fastest for Mercedes, ahead of Carlos Sainz Jnr and George Russell in fifth. Alexander Albon was sixth for…