FP2: Norris sets the pace again ahead of Dutch Grand Prix as session disrupted by two red flags

Lando Norris set the pace again in Free Practice 2 for the Dutch Grand Prix, with the session interrupted by two red flags.

The McLaren driver, who trails team mate Oscar Piastri by nine points in the Drivers' Championship, completed a clean sweep of fastest times on Friday while the session ended early for Lance Stroll and Alex Albon after crashes.

With conditions dry but the threat of rain looming, drivers immediately headed out on to the Zandvoort Circuit for crucial running, with Liam Lawson leading the train of cars out of the pit lane.

Fastest in FP1, Norris continued his impressive Friday running by initially moving to the top of the times on a 1m 12.615s with the medium tyre, before being usurped by Spaniards Carlos Sainz and Fernando Alonso as drops of rain began to fall.

On his next flying lap, Norris became the first driver to dip below the 1m 12s mark, posting a 1m 11.294s as Stroll slotted into second, his Aston Martin team mate Alonso complaining over the radio after being held up by Kimi Antonelli's Mercedes.

The Kick Saubers of Gabriel Bortoleto and Nico Hulkenberg moved into second and third respectively with the soft Pirelli tyre, with home hero Max Verstappen posting the fourth fastest time, less than three-tenths slower than Norris on the medium rubber.

Approaching the 10-minute mark, Haas' Oliver Bearman jumped to the top of the leaderboard with a 1m 11.113s just before a red flag was deployed after a heavy crash for Stroll at the banked Turn 3.

With the Canadian reporting he was okay over the radio and the wreckage of his Aston Martin recovered, proceedings resumed with 39 minutes of the one-hour session remaining as several drivers ventured out, including Isack Hadjar.

The Racing Bulls driver had not left the pit lane due to a technical issue prior to the red flag, but was forced to come to a stop on his out-lap, with his car quickly recovered under a Virtual Safety Car.

Hulkenberg moved to the top of the standings just past the halfway point on a 1m 11.080s with the help of soft tyres, as Lewis Hamilton suffered his second 360-degree spin of Friday on the exit of Turn 9, having set the fastest opening sector.

Lap times soon began to plummet as the sun broke through the clouds, Alonso posting a 1m 09.977s before Norris lowered the benchmark further to a 1m 09.890s, both drivers on a set of soft tyres.

A second red flag was soon called with 21 minutes remaining, Albon having gone off at Turn 1 and after damaging his front wing against the barrier, the Williams became beached in the gravel.

The session resumed with 16 minutes remaining and as the threat of rain had diminished, drivers focused on race simulations with the order remaining as before the stoppage.

It left Norris fastest, 0.087s clear of Alonso with Piastri third, the McLaren driver under investigation for a pit lane incident with George Russell as the pair made minor contact.

The Mercedes driver finished fourth from Verstappen, who was sixth-tenths away from Norris, as Hamilton, the second Red Bull of Yuki Tsunoda, Charles Leclerc (Ferrari), Franco Colapinto (Alpine) and Hulkenberg completed the top 10.

Bearman finished 11th ahead of Antonelli, the Mercedes driver making up for lost time after crashing early on in FP1.

Bortoleto led Lawson, Esteban Ocon (Haas) and Sainz (Williams), with Albon, Stroll, Pierre Gasly's Alpine and the time-less Hadjar completing the order.

Teams will have one more free practice session on Saturday ahead of the crucial Qualifying session for the Dutch Grand Prix.