It was a sizzling start to the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix weekend as Alpine’s Pierre Gasly emerged at the top during the first practice session, narrowly edging out McLaren’s Lando Norris.
The Saudi Arabian Grand Prix weekend kicked off under the scorching sun with Pierre Gasly showcasing his prowess in the opening practice. Gasly’s swift lap time of 1:29.239 saw him topple Lando Norris by a razor-thin margin of seven-thousandths of a second. Meanwhile, Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc secured the third spot, trailing Gasly by just 0.07s.
The session was a lively affair with all twenty full-time drivers in action, a stark contrast to the previous weekend’s Bahrain race, which featured several rookies. Kimi Antonelli quickly reported major brake vibrations, presenting Mercedes with an early challenge. Moreover, Oscar Piastri faced hurdles with a leaking drinks bottle as the teams got their qualifying simulations underway. McLaren, Red Bull, and Ferrari came armed with new updates this weekend, with McLaren’s Piastri testing a revamped diffuser.
George Russell brought Mercedes into the spotlight early with a strong 1:30.425, momentarily grabbing the top spot. However, the Pirelli soft tires soon took center stage, with Norris clocking a notable 1:29.246, pushing him momentarily to the forefront before being dethroned by Gasly’s impressive lap. Meanwhile, Max Verstappen encountered handling issues, lamenting that he “just can’t turn the car” as he trailed in fifth place.
The drama continued as Carlos Sainz, distressed by a Ferrari maneuvering sharply through turns 4 to 12, demanded caution. Tensions flared when Sainz’s race engineer suggested re-charging the battery pack, which Sainz dismissed with classic confidence, insisting he knew what he was doing.
Liam Lawson attracted some attention for twice crossing the painted area between the pit entry and the track, ensuring a post-session discussion with the stewards. Verstappen was similarly mired in challenges, battling a lack of balance and struggling to comply with his race engineer’s advice on the track’s 13th turn. As the session concluded, Gasly, Norris, and Leclerc remained closely grouped at the top with less than a tenth of a second separating them.
With Pierre Gasly leading the charge in the first session of the Saudi Arabian GP, the weekend promises to be packed with thrilling competition and potential surprises. As teams continue to tweak their setups, all eyes are on how these early results will shape the upcoming sessions.
