Dutch Grand Prix: Max Verstappen quickest in Zandvoort opening session

Nico Hulkenberg brought retired a reddish emblem aft helium beached his Haas successful the gravel during archetypal signifier astatine the Dutch Grand Prix

Red Bull's Max Verstappen acceptable the gait successful archetypal signifier astatine his location Dutch Grand Prix, up of Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton.

But it was not each plain sailing for the Dutchman - helium went disconnected into the gravel astatine Turn 11 close astatine the extremity of the session.

Hamilton's Mercedes was 3rd quickest, with Red Bull's Sergio Perez fourth.

Verstappen is bidding for a record-equalling ninth consecutive triumph this weekend, which would lucifer erstwhile Red Bull operator Sebastian Vettel's 2013 record.

The league was held connected a dusty way - plumes of soil were thrown up by immoderate car going disconnected enactment - and Nico Hulkenberg suffered a clang erstwhile helium mislaid power of his Haas done the penultimate country and spun into the barriers, damaging the car's beforehand wing.

Williams operator Alex Albon impressed with the 5th fastest time, up of McLaren's Lando Norris whose car has been the 2nd fastest connected mean down the Red Bull successful qualifying since its upgrade astatine the Austrian Grand Prix aboriginal past month.

Their team-mates Logan Sargeant and Oscar Piastri were seventh and eighth, with the Alpha Tauri of Yuki Tsunoda and Alpine's Esteban Ocon completing the apical 10.

• How to travel the Dutch Grand Prix connected the BBC
• Red Bull volition beryllium 'very difficult' to drawback - Leclerc
• Haas to clasp Magnussen and Hulkenberg successful 2024

Ferrari seemed to beryllium struggling - Charles Leclerc was down successful 16th, though helium did not bash a tally connected the fastest brushed tyres.

Alonso was different operator to person an off. Like Verstappen, but earlier successful the session, helium entered the Turn 11/12 chicane excessively accelerated and ran crossed the gravel connected the wrong of the corner, to nary evident sick effect.

Aston Martin person a important upgrade this play - a caller level plan aimed astatine improving their show aft they slipped to the backmost of the four-team battalion chasing Red Bull implicit the last portion of the archetypal fractional of the season.

Mercedes, for whom George Russell was 11th fastest, besides person a level upgrade, though much subtle than Aston Martin's. Hamilton was conscionable 0.095secs down Alonso arsenic helium looked to find aboriginal pace.

Zandvoort is already afloat of Dutch fans present to observe their hero, galore decked retired successful orangish T-shirts and generating a enactment ambiance astatine this edifice connected the North Sea.