Fernando Alonso is feeling optimistic despite acknowledging that challenging McLaren for pole position at the Dutch Grand Prix might be out of reach. In Free Practice 2 at Zandvoort, Alonso finished just 0.087 seconds behind his rival Lando Norris, marking a strong start to the weekend.

After also securing the fourth fastest time in the earlier practice session, Alonso's performance highlights a significant upswing for Aston Martin. Previously, the team struggled, finding themselves at the back of the grid in Belgium, but managed to lock down the third row in Hungary, culminating in their best result of the season with Alonso and Lance Stroll finishing fifth and seventh respectively.

"I’m definitely feeling a bit more optimistic than in previous Fridays," Alonso said, expressing confidence ahead of the race. "Hungary was a strong showing for us, and we’re continuing to demonstrate good pace here. It’s encouraging to see our times up there, but we’ll see what we can do tomorrow."

However, Alonso remained cautious about the prospects of challenging Norris and championship leader Oscar Piastri for pole, given McLaren's dominant form this season. "I don’t think it’s feasible for us to fight with the McLarens, but we aim to be competitive with the top teams like Mercedes, Ferrari, and Red Bull. We’ll aim to be in that mix," he remarked.

Meanwhile, teammate Lance Stroll had a rollercoaster day, clocking the third fastest time in FP1 before experiencing a crash in FP2 at the challenging banked Turn 3. While he reported that he was uninjured, his AMR25 sustained significant damage.

“It was just a little lock-up and then I was a passenger. Just one of those things,” Stroll explained.

"Overall, we looked competitive throughout the day, especially with Fernando in FP2. I think we’re in a good position, and I’m excited to see what we can achieve tomorrow."