WATCH: Pit Stop Drama - George Russell almost ran over pit crew's foot at Dutch Grand Prix 2024

The Mercedes driver George Russell had an eventful day at the 2024 Dutch Grand Prix, making headlines not only for his blistering pace during the FP2 session but also for a brief moment of panic during a pit stop. Russell, who eventually emerged as the fastest driver in FP2, narrowly avoided a serious incident when he almost drove over what he initially thought was a crew member's foot.

During the pit stop, Russell voiced his concern over the team radio, saying, "Hope that wasn't someone’s foot. I just ran over there." The moment of tension was quickly resolved when footage revealed that it wasn't a person's foot but rather a guarding cone that Russell had driven over. While the scare was short-lived, it highlighted the intensity and split-second decision-making involved in Formula 1 pit stops.

Here is the video:

Foot-age confirms George ran over a cone 😅#F1 #DutchGP @MercedesAMGF1 pic.twitter.com/4imEb5PG11

— Formula 1 (@F1) August 23, 2024

Despite this brief hiccup, Russell demonstrated exceptional skill on the track. He set the fastest time of the session, clocking in at 1:10.702, edging out McLaren's Oscar Piastri by a mere 0.061 seconds. His teammate, Lewis Hamilton, finished third, just 0.111 seconds behind Russell, making it a strong showing for Mercedes in the dry but slightly blustery conditions at Zandvoort.

Max Verstappen struggles in FP2

The session was not without its challenges for other drivers. Max Verstappen, the reigning world champion and local favourite, could only manage the fifth-fastest time, 0.284 seconds off Russell's pace. His Red Bull teammate, Sergio Perez, struggled even more, finishing 12th, nearly 0.879 seconds behind the leader.

The session also saw a brief red flag after Nico Hulkenberg lost control of his Haas while braking for Turn 1, highlighting the tricky conditions despite the dry track. Meanwhile, Ferrari's Carlos Sainz was forced to miss most of the session due to a gearbox issue, leaving him with limited track time to prepare for the rest of the weekend.