Lando Norris fastest in opening practice for Dutch Grand Prix

Norris, who trails Max Verstappen in the standings by 78 points heading into the concluding 10 rounds, saw off Verstappen by two tenths.

Lando Norris finished fastest in the first practice session (Peter Dejong/AP) (AP)

Lando Norris finished fastest in the opening practice session for Sunday’s Dutch Grand Prix.

Norris, who trails Max Verstappen in the standings by 78 points heading into the concluding 10 rounds, saw off Verstappen by two tenths.

Lewis Hamilton took third spot, one place ahead of Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz with Mercedes’ George Russell fifth.

Following a four-week break, the Formula One season is back up and running, here at the seaside town of Zandvoort, 23 miles outside of Amsterdam.

However, wind speeds approaching 45mph, spatted with light rain, contributed to limited running in the opening half of the one-hour session.

Pierre Gasly described the weather as wild, with Haas’ Nico Hulkenberg running off the road on numerous occasions as he braved the testing conditions.

But as the session wore on, the sun broke through and the track dried up, allowing for a number of quick runs in the closing moments.

And it was Norris, hoping to get his stuttering championship challenge back on track, who produced the quickest time in his upgraded McLaren.

Verstappen, without a win in his last four appearances – the first time that has happened since 2020 – has dominated at his home race since its return to the calendar in 2021, winning all three editions from pole position.

But the evidence of the first running indicates that the Red Bull driver, who spun at the chicane before recovering back to the pits, might not have it all his own way with Norris showcasing McLaren’s pace.

Hamilton, who has won two of the last three races for his rejuvenated Mercedes team, finished nearly seven tenths back.

The weather is expected to continue to improve for the second session which gets under way at 4pm local time (3pm BST).