Max Verstappen, Red Bull, Jeddah Corniche Circuit, 2024

Verstappen quickest as Zhou crashes heavily in final practice

Formula 1

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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

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Author information

Will Wood
Will has been a RaceFans contributor since 2012 during which time he has covered F1 test sessions, launch events and interviewed drivers. He mainly...

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6 comments on “Verstappen quickest as Zhou crashes heavily in final practice”

  1. If the drama was an effort to slow Max down, I guess it didn’t work.

  2. 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.

    1. 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.

  3. 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.

    1. 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.

    2. If they have a cooling off period, why not.

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