19/04/2025
NEWS STORY
Ahead of today's sole practice session the air temperature is 29 degrees C, while the track temperature is 53 degrees.
As was the case yesterday this session is pretty much unrepresentative as it takes place in entirely different conditions (daylight) to qualifying and tomorrow's race.
Lando Norris was quickest in the evening, ahead of his teammate, Max Verstappen, Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz, while sixth quickest Yuki Tsunoda brought the session to an early end when he crashed out.
In fact it's surprising that there weren't more red flag as a number of drivers got up close and personal with the barriers as they pushed to the limits, while a lack of grip and a strong headwind in Turn 1 hardly helped matters.
Tyres are a step softer than last year, the C5 appearing for the first time this year.
Work continues on Tsunoda's car, while Bortoleto, who missed FP2 due to a fuel leak, is set to go following an overnight chassis change.
Indeed, the Brazilian is first out, followed by Doohan, Alonso and Stroll as all three compounds are in use.
Bortoleto (mediums) posts a benchmark 32.160, but Doohan (softs) responds with a 30.613.
As Ocon heads out on softs, Alonso and Stroll, who were both on hards, pit, having done their usual scrubbing lap.
The majority of drivers are opting to wait until the sun sets a little lowe and the temperatures begin to drop.
Ocon shoots straight to the top of the timesheets with a 30.515, as Bearman and Hadjar head out. They are followed by Hamilton who is on softs.
Bearman posts a 30.252 on the softs as Leclerc, Lawson and Piastri head out.
Hamilton's first lap is only good enough foe second, 0.115s off Bearman's pace.
Leclerc goes third with a 30.408 but is demoted when Doohan stops the clock at 29.666, quicker than he went in FP2.
Incidentally, the Australian will be investigated after the session for failing to follow the race director's instructions.
Purples in the first two sectors are followed by a third as Piastri crosses the line at 29.118, 0.546s up on countryman Doohan.
Norris goes second, 0.085s down on his teammate, as Hadjar goes eighth.
Verstappen heads out on softs.
Hadjar complains of water flying around inside his helmet. "We really have to get rid of the drinks system," he warns.
Verstappen posts a 29.077, 0.041s up on Piastri.
Hamilton improves to third (29.188) on his third flyer on the same set of softs, but Leclerc eclipses him with a 28.860 to go top, despite a huge wobble in Turn 27.
Lawson goes ninth, as, with 38 minutes remaining, Stroll, Russell, Antonelli, Sainz, Gasly and Tsunoda have yet to post times.
Piastri posts a 28.605 as Alonso goes eleventh with a 30.291.
Russell goes sixth (29.326) and Sainz tenth as Norris improves to second (28.763) following a poor middle sector.
Gasly goes ninth as Tsunoda thanks his team for repairing his car and getting him out. The Japanese immediately gets very close to the barriers at Turn 13.
Despite getting squeezed by Tsunoda, Piastri consolidates his top spot with a 28.470, 0.293s up on his teammate.
"Is he blind, or..." ask Piastri of the Red Bull driver.
Norris improves to within 0.207s of his despite a weak final sector.
Gasly improves to seventh, 0.955s off the pace.
A 29.096 sees Tsunoda go fifth.
Antonelli improves to eighth with a 29.348 as Hulkenberg goes tenth and Lawson 16th.
Albon goes sixth with a 29.039 as Leclerc improves to third with a 28.718.
A 28.896 puts Sainz fifth as Hadjar improves to sixteenth.
With around 18 minutes remaining, as temperatures cool, the drivers switch to fresh softs, among the first are Russell and Piastri.
Russell goes top with a 28.214, and as Antonelli goes fourth with a 28.679, Piastri crosses the line at 27.513.
Norris goes second, 0.158s down on his teammate, despite being quickest in S3.
Albon goes fourth and Tsunoda fifth, the pair subsequently split by Verstappen's 28.413, the Dutchman 0.900s down on Piastri.
"Again, this weird engine braking," complains Verstappen as Leclerc goes fourth with a 28.372.
Hamilton can only manage twelfth (29.188), 0.8s down on his teammate.
In the RB garage, Hadjar is having his rear wing changed. He is currently 17th.
However, his teammate goes tenth with a 29.100.
Seemingly both Ferrari drivers have taken on new engines this weekend.
On fresh rubber, Alonso improves to ninth with a 28.888. Teammate Stroll fails to improve on 18th.
Norris goes purple in S1, maintaining a strong pace in S2. At the line it's 27.489, as he goes 0.024s up on his teammate.
"Jeez!" replies Hamilton when told where he is losing out.
Sainz goes seventh with a 28.570 and Hadjar tenth (28.769).
Gasly goes eighth (28.625).
Hamilton has a decent S1 but loses time in the second sector. At the line it's 28.780 as he goes twelfth, albeit still 0.4s down on his teammate.
Replay shows a hairy moment for Piastri, ass Russell goes third with a 28.116, 0.627s down on Norris.
Lawson improves to thirteenth with a 28.861, the RBs now sandwiching Hamilton.
A late improvement, courtesy of a tow, sees Verstappen improve to fourth with a 28.334, albeit 0.845s off the pace.
"That's the limit of this car," reports Leclerc, "I cannot go faster in corners, it's just sliding from all four tyres."
The session ends. Norris is quickest, ahead of Piastri, Russell, Verstappen, Leclerc, Albon, Sainz, Gasly, Tsunoda and Antonelli.
Hadjar is eleventh, ahead of Hamilton, Lawson, Alonso, Doohan, Bearman , Hulkenberg, Ocon, Bortoleto and Stroll.
"It looks like Bahrain," says Toto Wolff, "in FP3 when it is very hot McLaren are in a league of their own.
"But we were best of the rest," he adds, "and we hope it is going to come towards us in the evening."
Worryingly, he doesn't feel that McLaren had turned the wick up on its engines.
Check out our Saturday gallery from Jeddah here.