Max Verstappen will head into qualifying for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix after being the fastest driver in final practice.
The world champion’s best lap of a 1’28.412 was just under two tenths of a second quicker than Charles Leclerc, with Sergio Perez third in the second Red Bull.Before the final practice session even began, the paddock was shocked by the news that Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz Jnr would miss the rest of the weekend with appendicitis, with F2 racer Oliver Bearman taking over in Sainz’s place. Bearman successfully completed his sole hour of practice without incident, setting the tenth fastest time at the end of the session.
The session was red flagged with just under 20 minutes remaining following a heavy crash for Zhou Guanyu after the Sauber driver lost control through turn seven and crashed into the outside TecPro barrier at turn eight. Although the Medical Car was deployed, Zhou had already climbed out of his car unaided, seemingly unhurt. Zhou’s participation in qualifying is now dependent on Sauber repairing his car in time for Q1.
After the session restarted with five minutes remaining, the majority of drivers headed out on soft tyres for a final push lap. However, none beat Verstappen’s earlier best time with Leclerc improving to within two tenths of the world champion and Perez half a second slower in third.
George Russell was fourth for Mercedes ahead of Lando Norris and the two Aston Martins of Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll. Oscar Piastri was eighth, with Lewis Hamilton and Bearman completing the top 10.
Logan Sargeant failed to set a lap time after striking the wall at the apex of turn 22 on his first push lap of the session, breaking his left-front suspension and spending the remainder of final practice in the garage.
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2024 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix third practice result
P. | # | Driver | Team | Model | Time | Gap | Laps |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull-Honda RBPT | RB20 | 1’28.412 | 13 | |
2 | 16 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | SF-24 | 1’28.608 | 0.196 | 16 |
3 | 11 | Sergio Perez | Red Bull-Honda RBPT | RB20 | 1’28.906 | 0.494 | 13 |
4 | 63 | George Russell | Mercedes | W15 | 1’28.964 | 0.552 | 17 |
5 | 4 | Lando Norris | McLaren-Mercedes | MCL38 | 1’28.971 | 0.559 | 11 |
6 | 14 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin-Mercedes | AMR24 | 1’29.038 | 0.626 | 14 |
7 | 18 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin-Mercedes | AMR24 | 1’29.127 | 0.715 | 14 |
8 | 81 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren-Mercedes | MCL38 | 1’29.213 | 0.801 | 11 |
9 | 44 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | W15 | 1’29.268 | 0.856 | 19 |
10 | 38 | Oliver Bearman | Ferrari | SF-24 | 1’29.306 | 0.894 | 22 |
11 | 20 | Kevin Magnussen | Haas-Ferrari | VF-24 | 1’29.485 | 1.073 | 12 |
12 | 10 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine-Renault | A524 | 1’29.546 | 1.134 | 13 |
13 | 22 | Yuki Tsunoda | RB-Honda RBPT | 01 | 1’29.572 | 1.160 | 18 |
14 | 31 | Esteban Ocon | Alpine-Renault | A524 | 1’29.575 | 1.163 | 13 |
15 | 27 | Nico Hulkenberg | Haas-Ferrari | VF-24 | 1’29.675 | 1.263 | 11 |
16 | 3 | Daniel Ricciardo | RB-Honda RBPT | 01 | 1’29.740 | 1.328 | 15 |
17 | 23 | Alexander Albon | Williams-Mercedes | FW46 | 1’29.808 | 1.396 | 13 |
18 | 77 | Valtteri Bottas | Sauber-Ferrari | C44 | 1’30.083 | 1.671 | 21 |
19 | 24 | Zhou Guanyu | Sauber-Ferrari | C44 | 1’30.739 | 2.327 | 12 |
20 | 2 | Logan Sargeant | Williams-Mercedes | FW46 | No time | 2 |
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2024 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix combined practice times
P. | # | Driver | Team | FP1 time | FP2 time | FP3 time | Gap | Laps |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull-Honda RBPT | 1’29.659 | 1’29.158 | 1’28.412 | 64 | |
2 | 16 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 1’30.030 | 1’29.180 | 1’28.608 | 0.196 | 65 |
3 | 14 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin-Mercedes | 1’29.845 | 1’28.827 | 1’29.038 | 0.415 | 66 |
4 | 11 | Sergio Perez | Red Bull-Honda RBPT | 1’29.868 | 1’29.300 | 1’28.906 | 0.494 | 63 |
5 | 63 | George Russell | Mercedes | 1’29.939 | 1’29.057 | 1’28.964 | 0.552 | 64 |
6 | 4 | Lando Norris | McLaren-Mercedes | 1’30.231 | 1’29.758 | 1’28.971 | 0.559 | 60 |
7 | 18 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin-Mercedes | 1’30.580 | 1’29.336 | 1’29.127 | 0.715 | 59 |
8 | 81 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren-Mercedes | 1’30.977 | 1’29.594 | 1’29.213 | 0.801 | 60 |
9 | 44 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | 1’30.236 | 1’29.504 | 1’29.268 | 0.856 | 62 |
10 | 38 | Oliver Bearman | Ferrari | 1’29.306 | 0.894 | 22 | ||
11 | 55 | Carlos Sainz Jnr | Ferrari | 1’30.164 | 1’29.455 | 1.043 | 50 | |
12 | 20 | Kevin Magnussen | Haas-Ferrari | 1’31.577 | 1’29.985 | 1’29.485 | 1.073 | 52 |
13 | 10 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine-Renault | 1’31.046 | 1’29.528 | 1’29.546 | 1.116 | 67 |
14 | 22 | Yuki Tsunoda | RB-Honda RBPT | 1’31.036 | 1’29.666 | 1’29.572 | 1.160 | 71 |
15 | 31 | Esteban Ocon | Alpine-Renault | 1’30.945 | 1’29.901 | 1’29.575 | 1.163 | 67 |
16 | 27 | Nico Hulkenberg | Haas-Ferrari | 1’31.411 | 1’30.077 | 1’29.675 | 1.263 | 55 |
17 | 3 | Daniel Ricciardo | RB-Honda RBPT | 1’30.917 | 1’30.088 | 1’29.740 | 1.328 | 69 |
18 | 24 | Zhou Guanyu | Sauber-Ferrari | 1’31.131 | 1’29.777 | 1’30.739 | 1.365 | 63 |
19 | 23 | Alexander Albon | Williams-Mercedes | 1’30.747 | 1’29.789 | 1’29.808 | 1.377 | 67 |
20 | 2 | Logan Sargeant | Williams-Mercedes | 1’30.966 | 1’29.934 | No time | 1.522 | 56 |
21 | 77 | Valtteri Bottas | Sauber-Ferrari | 1’30.783 | 1’30.153 | 1’30.083 | 1.671 | 74 |
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2024 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix
- Bearman’s 2024 Jeddah debut performance makes him ‘feel like an absolute idiot’
- Vowles being patient with Sargeant but expects to see “progress”
- “So I’ve got nothing to worry about?” – The best unheard team radio from Jeddah
- “Shock” of poor start to season showed need for change at Alpine – Famin
- “My tyres are dying”: Stroll’s short-lived struggle until he hit the wall
JohnS
8th March 2024, 15:44
If the drama was an effort to slow Max down, I guess it didn’t work.
DaveW (@dmw)
8th March 2024, 16:22
Zhou looks like he did the same dumb thing I do on the console game—lift off the throttle before turning into the next corner in a s-curve. Instant trip backwards into the scenery. Yes I’m here for driving coaching if anyone needs me and hourly rates are very reasonable.
Crawliin-from-the-wreckage- Special Unhinged Edition (@davedai)
9th March 2024, 4:02
Thanks Dave what’s the rates?
I need help reverse parking in really tight spaces without opening the door and sticking my head out. Don’t have camera or irritating beeping thing. Rely more on tinkle tinkle sound to advise of an oops.
Ben
8th March 2024, 16:39
This year is really showing the drivers matter. Hamilton is being absolutely embarrassed so far. Looks like Mercedes were smart to get rid of him. I’ll be surprised if Ferrari dont pull the plug before the year is done too.
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
8th March 2024, 20:45
Hamilton outperformed russell last year, so it’s definitely a strange moment to make such a decision; I also think it’s a bit early, we only had a race, in a few more races we’ll know for sure, and it also happens sometimes that drivers on their way to leave the team underperform: vettel 2014 at red bull, vettel 2020 at ferrari and I’m sure there’s more examples.
Crawliin-from-the-wreckage- Special Unhinged Edition (@davedai)
9th March 2024, 3:58
If they have a cooling off period, why not.