Dutch Grand Prix: Charles Leclerc leads Ferrari one-two in second practice

Leclerc has managed just one podium finish in the last nine races

Charles Leclerc led a Ferrari one-two in Friday practice at the Dutch Grand Prix with championship leader Max Verstappen only eighth fastest.

Verstappen had a troubled day, missing most of the first session after his car lost drive, and did not complete a fast lap on soft tyres like his rivals.

McLaren's Lando Norris was fourth, ahead of Mercedes' George Russell.

• Piastri to drive for McLaren as Alpine lose appeal
• Red Bull could be embarking on era of domination - Hamilton
• How to follow the Dutch GP on the BBC

Verstappen won his home race at Zandvoort last year

Verstappen's truncated first session, in which he managed only seven laps, meant Red Bull had to change his programme for the afternoon.

The Dutchman, 98 points clear of Leclerc in the championship with eight races to go, went straight from some laps establishing a set-up into his race-simulation run on a heavy fuel load.

That meant he did not use the soft tyres on a flying lap to simulate qualifying. He ended the session 0.697 seconds off the pace, a margin unrepresentative of his potential.

Verstappen had been quickest of all at the time he broke down in the first session.

The second session was interrupted late on when Yuki Tsunoda spun his Alpha Tauri and beached it in a gravel trap, causing a red flag of a few minutes while the car was removed.

• 'I hated his comedy': Steve Coogan chats to Nihal Arthanayake about British humour and cancel culture
• 'Policies we improvised became law within years' The creative force behind Alan Partridge talks about his cultural influences