In the lead-up to the 2024 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, the third practice session at Jeddah revealed some exciting developments among the Formula 1 teams. McLaren’s Lando Norris emerged as the standout performer, outpacing his teammate Oscar Piastri by a narrow margin. The impressive performances from both McLaren drivers set the stage for what could be a thrilling qualifying session.
As practice commenced, Haas rookie Oliver Bearman made his mark by leading the early stages of the session. However, it wasn’t long before the McLaren drivers showcased their speed on the hot and challenging Jeddah circuit, where track temperatures soared above 50 degrees Celsius. After the initial runs on soft tires, Piastri clocked a time of 1m28.605s, edging out Norris by just 0.085 seconds. This early competitiveness hinted at the potential for a fierce battle between the two McLaren teammates.
Just past the 20-minute mark, Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen briefly claimed the top spot with a lap time of 1m29.077s, which was slightly faster than Piastri’s earlier effort. However, the Australian driver quickly responded, reclaiming his position at the top with an impressive 1m28.605s. Meanwhile, Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc joined the fray, moving up to third place before a subsequent improvement from Verstappen returned him to the upper echelon of the timing sheets.
The competitive spirit intensified as both Piastri and Norris pushed their limits on their fourth runs. Piastri set a blistering time of 1m27.513s, momentarily putting him ahead of Norris by 0.150 seconds and closing in on the previous year’s pole time set by Verstappen. However, Norris was not to be outdone; he too improved his performance on his final lap, clocking in at 1m27.489s to leapfrog Piastri and secure the top spot.
George Russell of Mercedes, who had initially been absent from the early running due to the unrepresentative conditions, made significant strides in the second half of the session. He climbed to fifth place before ultimately setting a time of 1m28.214s, which allowed him to secure a position ahead of Leclerc. Despite his efforts, Russell found it challenging to match the blistering pace of the McLaren duo, finishing six tenths behind the leading drivers. The hot daytime conditions may have played a role in this gap, complicating the strategies for several teams.
Verstappen managed to improve his position late in the session, moving up to fourth place with a time that left him 0.845 seconds off the pace of the McLaren drivers. Despite this improvement, the reigning world champion faced some difficulties during his runs, reporting “weird engine braking” issues that hindered his performance. The reduced number of laps completed by Verstappen compared to his competitors may have also contributed to his struggles.
Ferrari, meanwhile, appeared to be at a disadvantage against McLaren’s pace. Charles Leclerc finished in fifth place, nearly nine tenths off the leading times. He expressed that he was pushing the limits of what the SF-25 could achieve, indicating that the team was likely facing challenges in optimizing their performance on the circuit.
Yuki Tsunoda, who had lost some track time due to repairs on his RB21 following a late crash in the second practice, managed to recover and secure a spot in the top 10, finishing ninth. He expressed gratitude to his mechanics for their hard work, which allowed him to get back on track. This performance was particularly impressive, given the circumstances.
The second Mercedes driver, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, also had a notable session, finishing just behind Tsunoda. However, it was a challenging day for Lewis Hamilton, who struggled to find the right balance with his soft tires. After a difficult Friday, the seven-time world champion finished in 12th place, 1.291 seconds off Norris’s leading time. Hamilton’s performance raised questions about the team’s ability to adapt to the demanding conditions of the Jeddah circuit.
As the session came to a close, the anticipation for qualifying grew. The performances during practice indicated that McLaren was in a strong position, but with the unpredictable nature of F1 racing, anything could happen. The qualifying session for the 2024 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix was set to commence at 8 PM local time, or 5 PM GMT, and teams would be eager to translate their practice performances into competitive qualifying times.
In summary, the third practice session at Jeddah showcased the impressive speed of McLaren, with Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri leading the way. Despite strong performances from competitors like George Russell and Max Verstappen, the McLaren duo appeared to have an edge heading into qualifying. As teams prepared for the next stage of the race weekend, the anticipation for the upcoming qualifying session was palpable, with fans and teams alike eager to see how the grid would shape up for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. The combination of high temperatures and competitive times set the stage for an exhilarating race day ahead.
