F1 News Today: Verstappen’s Struggle Continue as FIA Summons Driver After…read more
F1 News Today: Verstappen’s Struggle Continue as FIA Summons Driver After…read more
Max Verstappen endured another frustrating session at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, finishing well off the pace in final practice before being summoned by FIA stewards adding further strain to Red Bull’s weekend.
McLaren stole the spotlight in FP3, with Lando Norris clocking the fastest time of the session at 1:27.489 around the Jeddah Corniche Circuit. He narrowly edged out team-mate Oscar Piastri by just 0.024 seconds, securing a McLaren one-two ahead of qualifying.
George Russell placed third for Mercedes, while Verstappen could only manage fourth. His lap time was over eight-tenths slower than Norris’, underlining Red Bull’s ongoing performance concerns heading into the crucial qualifying session.
Ferrari had mixed fortunes Charles Leclerc ended the session in fifth, but Lewis Hamilton struggled down in 12th, unable to find the pace in his car.
Elsewhere, Alpine’s Jack Doohan was called in by the FIA stewards after crossing into the painted area between the pit lane and the track something clearly warned against in the race director’s notes. Although it was a technical breach, the stewards issued only a warning, citing the fact that it occurred during a practice session and did not warrant a harsher penalty.
Final Practice Results – Saudi Arabian GP 2025
1. Lando Norris (McLaren) – 1:27.489
2. Oscar Piastri (McLaren) – +0.024
3. George Russell (Mercedes) – +0.627
4. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) – +0.845
5. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) – +0.883
6. Alex Albon (Williams) – +0.900
7. Carlos Sainz (Williams) – +1.081
8. Pierre Gasly (Alpine) – +1.136
9. Yuki Tsunoda (Red Bull) – +1.181
10. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) – +1.190
11. Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls) – +1.280
12. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) – +1.291
13. Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls) – +1.372
14. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) – +1.399
15. Jack Doohan(Alpine) – +1.409
16. **Ollie Bearman** (Haas) – +1.500
17. Nico Hulkenberg (Kick Sauber) – +1.731
18. Esteban Ocon (Haas) – +1.847
19. Gabriel Bortoleto (Kick Sauber) – +1.921
20. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) – +1.989
Coming Up Next: Qualifying in Jeddah
Qualifying for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix is set for Saturday at 8:00 PM local time (AST) / 6:00 PM (BST). With McLaren leading the charge and Red Bull looking vulnerable, the battle for pole promises plenty of drama under the lights in Jeddah.
Don’t Miss:F1 Qualifying Today – Saudi GP 2025: Start Time, How to Watch, and Full TV Details
