FP1 at the F1 Saudi Arabian GP ends with an unexpected leader. Pierre Gasly tops the session with the fastest lap, edging out Norris by just seven thousandths. Behind them is Leclerc, only 70 thousandths off the Frenchman. Hamilton still has adjustments to make, finishing eighth, followed by Max Verstappen, who did not appear fully comfortable with the car.
Few updates were anticipated for this round, but McLaren, Ferrari, and Red Bull have all introduced new components in Jeddah. McLaren have brought a reshaped diffuser aimed at enhancing aerodynamic efficiency, along with a revised rear brake duct winglet. Ferrari, meanwhile, are focusing on reducing drag by running a new rear wing and beam wing — a key consideration on a circuit like Jeddah, where long straights play a crucial role.
First half hour
The opening minutes of FP1 at the Saudi Arabian GP were marked by several lock-ups: from Jack Doohan to Lewis Hamilton, and even Oliver Bearman, who lightly brushed the wall. Oscar Piastri reported over the radio that he clipped the barriers and returned to the pits.
McLaren hit the track with a new medium–low downforce rear wing. Other teams, instead, adapted their medium–high downforce wings to suit the circuit. At Red Bull, work has also begun: the team brought some initial (non-visible) updates to the car, with more planned between Miami and Imola.
As for on-track action, the drivers started off cautiously, fitting yellow tyres — except for the two Haas and two Williams cars, which ran the white compound. On these tyres, George Russell took the lead, ahead of Lando Norris and Max Verstappen. The two Ferraris remained outside the top three.
Final half hour
At the half-hour mark from the start of Free Practice 1, teams switched to the red compound and got serious. Carlos Sainz was the first to push, saying he felt very good with the car — and indeed, he temporarily went second.
Oscar Piastri followed but couldn’t beat Russell; Norris, however, managed to go significantly faster, pulling nearly four tenths clear of his closest rivals. On his first laps with the softs, Charles Leclerc moved up to fourth, while Hamilton was still getting to grips with the track and only went ninth.
Max Verstappen slotted in just behind the Monegasque but complained of difficulties in the first sector. Meanwhile, the track conditions improved lap by lap, temporarily handing the top spot to Gasly.
In the closing stages, there was a brief incident involving Lewis Hamilton and Carlos Sainz: the Briton completed his lap in P8 and then began his cooldown lap, during which the Spaniard found him ahead at a corner. Fortunately, it was just a minor scare for the Williams driver.
In the final minutes, teams carried out race pace simulations, and Lando Norris looked determined to dominate. The Briton lapped nearly a second quicker than everyone else — including Piastri — although fuel loads remain to be verified.
In the end, the top three featured an unexpected leader: Pierre Gasly ahead of Lando Norris and Charles Leclerc. Lewis Hamilton finished eighth in the other Ferrari SF-25 car, just ahead of Max Verstappen.
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