Norris edges out Piastri in a thrilling FP3 session, while Williams F1 battles fiercely with Mercedes, Red Bull, and Ferrari for top spots.
With high stakes in Saudi Arabia, FP3 in Jeddah is critical as drivers face intense heat, battling for perfect setups ahead of qualifying.
The third and final practice session (FP3) before qualifying is always a crucial moment in any Grand Prix. But in Jeddah, it’s even more critical. Drivers are pushing their limits, all while trying to avoid accidents that could prevent them from taking part in the all-important qualifying session.
In a field where every tenth of a second matters, finding that perfect balance is key. It’s essential for the teams and drivers to identify the strengths and weaknesses of their cars. This becomes even trickier during night races, where the temperature difference between FP1 and FP3 can be significant.
With the asphalt heating up to over 50°C, grip is limited, and errors are more likely. This is the subtle challenge of the final practice session in Jeddah, which you can follow live on Nextgen-Auto!
15:26 – As expected, air temperature is at 29°C, but the track is at a scorching 52°C! These conditions are far from what we’ll see during qualifying later, when temperatures will be much cooler at 19:00.
15:30 – The session begins! Gabriel Bortoleto is the first to hit the track, making up for lost time after missing FP2 due to a mechanical issue.
15:34 – Jack Doohan sets the first notable time of the session with a lap of 1:30.613. However, expect lap times to drop significantly as the session progresses.
15:38 – Esteban Ocon improves with a 1:30.515, while Oliver Bearman is also on track. Bortoleto improves his time, closing to within half a second of the fastest lap. Isack Hadjar also heads out on track.
15:40 – Bearman sets a new best time of 1:30.252. Both Haas drivers are on soft tires, as are Doohan and the Ferrari drivers, who are now on track. Bortoleto is on mediums, and Hadjar is running hard tires.
15:42 – Red Bull is still working on Yuki Tsunoda’s RB21. The team hasn’t broken any curfew, but it appears there’s more work to do before the Japanese driver returns to the track following his crash yesterday.
15:43 – Lewis Hamilton moves up to second, just behind Bearman.
15:44 – Doohan improves with a 1:29.666 and takes the session lead! Charles Leclerc remains fourth.
15:45 – Ocon climbs to second, while Oscar Piastri posts the best overall first sector.
15:47 – Piastri sets the fastest time with a 1:29.118, while Lando Norris takes second with a 1:29.203. Bearman moves to third, and Doohan is under investigation for cutting the colored area between the track and pit entry.
15:48 – Isack Hadjar complains about his drinks system, as he is being sprayed with liquid while driving. This remains an ongoing issue for several teams early this season.
15:49 – Verstappen sets the fastest time of the day with a 1:29.077!
15:51 – Leclerc improves further with a 1:28.860! Behind him, Piastri sets the best first sector, while Hamilton slots between the McLarens. Piastri finishes his lap and takes the top spot with a 1:28.605.
15:53 – George Russell sets the sixth-fastest time, and Andrea Kimi Antonelli takes eleventh. Norris completes his lap, falling short by 0.158s to Piastri.
5:54 – Pierre Gasly completes a lap in ninth place, just behind his teammate Doohan. Tsunoda is out and sets a quick lap, finishing in 16th. “Thanks guys for the car,” he says over the radio.
15:57 – Piastri improves his time with a 1:28.470.
15:57 – Piastri improves his time to 1:28.470.
16:00 – The halfway mark is reached.
16:02 – The Red Bulls improve. Verstappen closes to within 0.277s of Piastri, while Tsunoda rises to sixth. Gasly moves into the top 10, taking eighth, and Doohan closes to within less than a tenth of his teammate.
16:03 – Russell takes fifth, pushing Tsunoda down to sixth, while Antonelli climbs to eighth.
16:05 – Alex Albon sets the sixth-fastest time, while Leclerc reclaims third, passing Verstappen. Ocon climbs to ninth, and Carlos Sainz sets the fifth-fastest time. As seen yesterday, the Williams cars appear quick.
16:13 – Russell temporarily takes the session lead with a 1:28.214 after a strong lap, but he’s quickly overtaken by Piastri, who posts a 1:27.513! Fresh tires are working wonders for the McLaren.
16:14 – Albon moves up to fourth, ahead of Antonelli, who also improved. Norris also improves, now just 0.158s behind his teammate.
16:15 – In Bahrain, McLaren showed strong pace on hot track conditions in FP3, with the gap being less pronounced under the lights.
16:19 – Fernando Alonso moves up to ninth, offering some reassurance for the Aston Martin driver.
16:20 – Stroll, however, remains in 18th, six-tenths behind Alonso. Doohan climbs to 11th.
16:22 – Norris improves his time, setting the fastest lap of the session with a 1:27.489.
16:24 – Hamilton remains 12th, while Russell improves but stays six-tenths off the McLarens.
16:26 – “I have no grip, I don’t know,” a frustrated Hamilton says. His engineer advises him to complete two laps to cool down the tires.
16:29 – Verstappen climbs to fourth, while Bortoleto passes Stroll for 19th place.
16:30 – The checkered flag is waved, marking the end of FP3!
Norris and Piastri conclude the practice sessions with a McLaren F1 one-two, ahead of Russell, Verstappen, and Leclerc, who represent the three main rivals to the Woking team. The gaps are significant, but they should narrow on a cooler track.
Albon and Sainz place the Williams in sixth and seventh, ahead of Gasly, Tsunoda, and Antonelli. Hadjar is 11th, followed by Hamilton and Lawson, then Alonso and Doohan. Bearman is 16th, ahead of Hülkenberg, Ocon, Bortoleto, and Stroll, who brings up the rear.
| Pos. | Driver | Team | Time | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Lando Norris | McLaren Mercedes MCL39 | 1:27.489 | 18 |
| 02 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren Mercedes MCL39 | 1:27.513 | 19 |
| 03 | George Russell | Mercedes W16 | 1:28.116 | 17 |
| 04 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull Honda RBPT RB21 | 1:28.334 | 14 |
| 05 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari SF-25 | 1:28.372 | 21 |
| 06 | Alex Albon | Williams Mercedes FW47 | 1:28.389 | 16 |
| 07 | Carlos Sainz | Williams Mercedes FW47 | 1:28.570 | 15 |
| 08 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine Renault A525 | 1:28.625 | 16 |
| 09 | Yuki Tsunoda | Red Bull Honda RBPT RB21 | 1:28.670 | 14 |
| 10 | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes W16 | 1:28.679 | 18 |
| 11 | Isack Hadjar | Racing Bulls Honda RBPT VCARB 02 | 1:28.769 | 17 |
| 12 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari SF-25 | 1:28.780 | 20 |
| 13 | Liam Lawson | Racing Bulls Honda RBPT VCARB 02 | 1:28.861 | 18 |
| 14 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin Mercedes AMR25 | 1:28.888 | 19 |
| 15 | Jack Doohan | Alpine Renault A525 | 1:28.898 | 21 |
| 16 | Oliver Bearman | Haas Ferrari VF-25 | 1:28.989 | 15 |
| 17 | Nico Hülkenberg | Stake F1 Kick Sauber C45 | 1:29.110 | 16 |
| 18 | Esteban Ocon | Haas Ferrari VF-25 | 1:29.225 | 20 |
| 19 | Gabriel Bortoleto | Stake F1 Kick Sauber C45 | 1:29.410 | 24 |
| 20 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin Mercedes AMR25 | 1:29.478 | 19 |
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Saudi Arabian Grand Prix F1: Live Coverage of FP3 in Jeddah Saudi Arabian Grand Prix F1: Live Coverage of FP3 in Jeddah
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