Lando Norris narrowly led a one-two for McLaren in the final practice session for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix as the team set a pace the competition could not get near.
Oscar Piastri was just two hundredths of a second slower than his team mate, following a near-miss with the wall at turn four on one lap. But no one else got within six tenths of a second of the McLaren drivers.
The track temperature fell to 45C during the late afternoon session and is likely to cool further before qualifying takes place at nightfall. McLaren’s rivals will be hoping lower temperatures allow them to close the gap in the qualifying session later today.
George Russell and Max Verstappen improved their times late in the session. However that left the Mercedes driver six tenths of a second off the pace and the reigning world champion a further two tenths back.
Charles Leclerc was the quickest of the Ferrari drivers in fifth place, less than four hundredths of a second behind Verstappen. But he was certain he couldn’t extract any more pace from the car, telling the team he was sliding on all four tyres.
His team mate endured another tough session and ended up outside the top 10. Lewis Hamilton seemed to have particular difficulty with the first corner and was dismayed to be told the scale of his deficit at various points on the track. He was four tenths of a second slower than Leclerc, which translated to 12th place.
The pair were separated by the Williams pair, Alexander Albon ahead of Carlos Sainz Jnr, then Pierre Gasly. Yuki Tsunoda and Andrea Kimi Antonelli, both well off their team mates, were next, Isack Hadjar took 11th for Racing Bulls after being stuck in his garage with a rear wing problem earlier on.
Both Haas and Sauber cars ended the session in the bottom five, though all four were quicker than Lance Stroll in the Aston Martin.
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2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix Grand Prix third practice result
| P. | # | Driver | Team | Model | Time | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | Lando Norris | McLaren-Mercedes | MCL39 | 1’27.489 | |
| 2 | 81 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren-Mercedes | MCL39 | 1’27.513 | 0.024 |
| 3 | 63 | George Russell | Mercedes | W16 | 1’28.116 | 0.627 |
| 4 | 1 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull-Honda RBPT | RB21 | 1’28.334 | 0.845 |
| 5 | 16 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | SF-25 | 1’28.372 | 0.883 |
| 6 | 23 | Alexander Albon | Williams-Mercedes | FW47 | 1’28.389 | 0.900 |
| 7 | 55 | Carlos Sainz Jnr | Williams-Mercedes | FW47 | 1’28.570 | 1.081 |
| 8 | 10 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine-Renault | A525 | 1’28.625 | 1.136 |
| 9 | 22 | Yuki Tsunoda | Red Bull-Honda RBPT | RB21 | 1’28.670 | 1.181 |
| 10 | 12 | Andrea Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | W16 | 1’28.679 | 1.190 |
| 11 | 6 | Isack Hadjar | Racing Bulls-Honda RBPT | 02 | 1’28.769 | 1.280 |
| 12 | 44 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | SF-25 | 1’28.780 | 1.291 |
| 13 | 30 | Liam Lawson | Racing Bulls-Honda RBPT | 02 | 1’28.861 | 1.372 |
| 14 | 14 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin-Mercedes | AMR25 | 1’28.888 | 1.399 |
| 15 | 7 | Jack Doohan | Alpine-Renault | A525 | 1’28.898 | 1.409 |
| 16 | 87 | Oliver Bearman | Haas-Ferrari | VF-25 | 1’28.989 | 1.500 |
| 17 | 27 | Nico Hulkenberg | Sauber-Ferrari | C45 | 1’29.220 | 1.731 |
| 18 | 31 | Esteban Ocon | Haas-Ferrari | VF-25 | 1’29.336 | 1.847 |
| 19 | 5 | Gabriel Bortoleto | Sauber-Ferrari | C45 | 1’29.410 | 1.921 |
| 20 | 18 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin-Mercedes | AMR25 | 1’29.478 | 1.989 |
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2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix Grand Prix combined practice times
| P. | # | Driver | Team | FP1 time | FP2 time | FP3 time | Gap | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | Lando Norris | McLaren-Mercedes | 1’29.246 | 1’28.267 | 1’27.489 | 64 | |
| 2 | 81 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren-Mercedes | 1’29.341 | 1’28.430 | 1’27.513 | 0.024 | 66 |
| 3 | 63 | George Russell | Mercedes | 1’29.618 | 1’28.973 | 1’28.116 | 0.627 | 59 |
| 4 | 1 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull-Honda RBPT | 1’29.818 | 1’28.547 | 1’28.334 | 0.845 | 63 |
| 5 | 16 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 1’29.309 | 1’28.749 | 1’28.372 | 0.883 | 71 |
| 6 | 23 | Alexander Albon | Williams-Mercedes | 1’29.606 | 1’29.220 | 1’28.389 | 0.900 | 62 |
| 7 | 55 | Carlos Sainz Jnr | Williams-Mercedes | 1’29.779 | 1’28.942 | 1’28.570 | 1.081 | 65 |
| 8 | 10 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine-Renault | 1’29.239 | 1’29.106 | 1’28.625 | 1.136 | 63 |
| 9 | 22 | Yuki Tsunoda | Red Bull-Honda RBPT | 1’29.821 | 1’28.963 | 1’28.670 | 1.181 | 59 |
| 10 | 12 | Andrea Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | 1’29.934 | 1’29.242 | 1’28.679 | 1.190 | 58 |
| 11 | 6 | Isack Hadjar | Racing Bulls-Honda RBPT | 1’30.011 | 1’29.306 | 1’28.769 | 1.280 | 49 |
| 12 | 44 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | 1’29.815 | 1’29.371 | 1’28.780 | 1.291 | 70 |
| 13 | 30 | Liam Lawson | Racing Bulls-Honda RBPT | 1’29.907 | 1’29.488 | 1’28.861 | 1.372 | 59 |
| 14 | 14 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin-Mercedes | 1’29.976 | 1’29.662 | 1’28.888 | 1.399 | 61 |
| 15 | 7 | Jack Doohan | Alpine-Renault | 1’30.183 | 1’29.912 | 1’28.898 | 1.409 | 67 |
| 16 | 87 | Oliver Bearman | Haas-Ferrari | 1’30.595 | 1’29.754 | 1’28.989 | 1.500 | 55 |
| 17 | 27 | Nico Hulkenberg | Sauber-Ferrari | 1’29.916 | 1’29.193 | 1’29.220 | 1.704 | 62 |
| 18 | 31 | Esteban Ocon | Haas-Ferrari | 1’31.029 | 1’30.019 | 1’29.336 | 1.847 | 63 |
| 19 | 5 | Gabriel Bortoleto | Sauber-Ferrari | 1’31.038 | 1’29.410 | 1.921 | 47 | |
| 20 | 18 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin-Mercedes | 1’30.583 | 1’30.007 | 1’29.478 | 1.989 | 60 |
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2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix
- Red Bull made tactical decision not to avoid a penalty in Jeddah, Horner confirms
- Norris’s starts were far poorer than Verstappen’s but the balance is shifting
- McLaren’s rivals “just one upgrade away from being the lead car” – Brown
- Russell told race control what he thought of Verstappen’s first lap corner cut
- Doohan’s final corner pass on Bortoleto was F1’s closest fight for last place in seven years
jackL
19th April 2025, 15:49
Hamitons pace deficit to charles is growing, and getting more concerning.
Edvaldo
19th April 2025, 15:55
What’s more concerning than the actual gap is the number of cars between them.
It will be a surprise if he makes to Q3 today.
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
19th April 2025, 16:05
Third-biggest gap at any team in that session:
Fernando Alonso -0.59s Lance Stroll
George Russell -0.563s Andrea Kimi Antonelli
Charles Leclerc -0.408s Lewis Hamilton
Oliver Bearman -0.347s Esteban Ocon
Max Verstappen -0.336s Yuki Tsunoda
Pierre Gasly -0.273s Jack Doohan
Nico Hulkenberg -0.19s Gabriel Bortoleto
Alexander Albon -0.181s Carlos Sainz Jnr
Isack Hadjar -0.092s Liam Lawson
Lando Norris -0.024s Oscar Piastri
Ben
19th April 2025, 17:14
Yeah it’s time to retire. He won’t make Q3 today and I’ll be amazed if he outqualified Sainz. There’s zero chance the Williams is better than the Ferrari which shows just how poor he is. An utter embarrassment for Ferrari.
He should have ended his career after 2021. Everything from there has killed his legacy and shown it was just the car all along.
Edvaldo
19th April 2025, 17:38
No, it just shows he stayed around for too long.
Most drivers are retired by the age he’s now. you’re really going to discredit his entire career because he, at 40, can’t keep up with guys 10, 15, 20 years younger?
You’re reaching dude, calm down.
Ben
19th April 2025, 18:14
Well when he’s knocked out in Q1 don’t cry.
HeyRob
19th April 2025, 18:24
Still in after Q1. 😉
Edvaldo
19th April 2025, 18:48
Lame asnwer.
Doggy
19th April 2025, 16:01
What’s the general consensus as to why McLaren is so far ahead in practice compared the rest, but then in qualifying the gap is a bit smaller vs other teams?
Is it other teams using Practice to develop their cars and also race setup? Are other teams using less power/sandbagging? McLaren is just so far ahead that they just go all in so their drivers can practice more? Any other option?
I don’t recall this happening while Rb19 or Merc dominance era
Phil Norman (@phil-f1-21)
19th April 2025, 16:36
It’s obviously track related thought isn’t it. He’s not always been this far off.
Leo B
19th April 2025, 16:57
This is absolute make or break time for Norris. He has to get pole and win on Sunday.
If he slips up, he will be finished as McLaren top dog. It’s that simple.
Not so for Piastri. He can trail Norris here and come back strong next race, so much less pressure.
bernasaurus (@bernasaurus)
19th April 2025, 19:06
I thought of this comment after he put it in the wall. It’s easy to say ‘there’s always tomorrow’. But careers can go so fast, and looking back opportunities were thinner in the end than expected (Danny Ric circa 2014 comes to mind). Lando might not have as good as he has it now for the rest of his career. He needs to grab this chance, and soon.
Yes (@come-on-kubica)
19th April 2025, 17:49
The other teams sandbagging hard. Mclaren third best car at best. Just the nest 2 drivers.