Ferrari's Charles Leclerc was fastest in the second session at the seaside circuit with a best lap of one minute 12.345 seconds.
Team mate Carlos Sainz was second on the timing screens, a mere 0.004 slower, with Mercedes' seven times world champion Lewis Hamilton third and 0.072 of the pace.
Red Bull's runaway world championship leader Verstappen was only eighth but seemingly set on a race simulation with a full fuel load.
McLaren's Lando Norris was fourth ahead of Mercedes' George Russell, Aston Martin's Lance Stroll and Alpine's Fernando Alonso.
Russell lapped the tight and twisty seaside Zandvoort circuit with a fastest lap of one minute 12.455 seconds on the soft tyres late in the first session.
Seven times world champion Hamilton was 0.240 slower than his team mate, and said he was struggling to hear radio messages.
Ferrari's Carlos Sainz ended up third on the timing screens and the McLarens of Lando Norris and Daniel Ricciardo were fourth and fifth.
Ferrari's Charles Leclerc was sixth, 0.672 off Russell's pace.
Verstappen, winner from pole position last year, came to a halt 10 minutes into the session and after just seven laps as red flags were waved.
"Something went with the gearbox," he told his race engineer over the radio.
"We lost drive whilst he took a shift from fourth to fifth," said team boss Christian Horner. "We have to get it turned around quickly for the next session."
Verstappen's Mexican team mate Sergio Perez ran wide onto the grass and was only seventh fastest with the Alpines of Fernando Alonso and Esteban Ocon eighth and ninth.
"Nothing specific, just working on a balance. Sergio usually feels his way into a P1 and there were certain things he wasn't happy with about the car," Horner said of Perez.
Williams' Alexander Albon completed the top 10.
Verstappen, 19th of 20 in the session, is 93 points clear of Perez with eight races remaining and will be chasing his 10th win of the season on Sunday.
