Race Pace Analysis FP2: McLaren and Mercedes overshadow rivals, Ferrari noticeably behind | Dutch GP. Race Pace Analysis from Zandvoort FP2 q.

Despite the wind and rain trying to spoil the Dutch spectacle, the second free practice session, once the sun returned, lived up to expectations. There was much anticipation to see the performance levels among the various teams, and we were not disappointed.

Looking at the times set in the qualifying simulations, we see the two Mercedes, the two McLarens, and Verstappen separated by less than three-tenths. A significant gap on a short circuit like Zandvoort if it were Saturday, but since it’s only Friday, there’s still time to close or widen the gap. So, for now, George Russell, Oscar Piastri, Lewis Hamilton, Lando Norris, and Max Verstappen all have an equal chance of securing pole position tomorrow.

Ferrari noticeably absent

Unfortunately, Ferrari is not among them, as they are much further behind in both pure performance and race pace. Additionally, Sainz was missing today. The Spanish driver had to skip almost the entire session due to an issue with his car’s transmission. Since this was the component used on Friday, the team had already planned to replace it ahead of tomorrow.

The problem is that he’s missing some data that could prove very important tomorrow, especially since there was little opportunity to run in dry conditions during FP1. The weather is still quite uncertain regarding what to expect for qualifying, while the race is expected to take place under sunny skies.

Mercedes and McLaren overshadow Verstappen

Looking at the race pace simulations, starting from the bottom, we see that Perez and Charles Leclerc are trailing behind, while once again the situation is quite tight between Mercedes, Red Bull, and McLaren.

Lando Norris seems to be the most formidable, but it’s worth paying attention to George Russell, who was very competitive considering his stint was done over 11 laps (with nine being strong laps) on the Soft C3 compound. Only Max Verstappen, Norris, and Piastri then had the opportunity to change tires for an additional stint. Among the three, Lando appears to be the most promising this time.

However, once again, be cautious. Being strong in race pace here at Zandvoort doesn’t necessarily guarantee an advantage. Overtaking on the Dutch circuit will be very challenging, making qualifying positions crucial. Mercedes seems to be able to join the fight between Red Bull and McLaren even in the Netherlands. Anything can happen in the top three rows. The only one missing from the mix is Sergio Perez.