F1 Saudi Arabian GP: Alpine's Pierre Gasly fastest in FP1 – but not by much
While daylight running ahead of Sunday’s night race in Jeddah may not offer up too much information, Alpine’s Pierre Gasly will be pleased to have outpaced the field
Pierre Gasly, Alpine
Photo by: Sam Bagnall / Motorsport Images
Pierre Gasly was the surprise pacesetter in the first practice session ahead of the Formula 1 Saudi Arabia Grand Prix.
With the McLarens once again widely expected to dominate running, it was the Alpine of Gasly which ultimately clocked the fastest time with an impressive 1m29.239s.
It saw him pip Lando Norris to top spot, the lead McLaren just 0.007s behind, with team-mate Oscar Piastri fourth as the Ferrari of Charles Leclerc was third.
Piastri immediately set the pace at the start of the weekend’s running although Norris – who said he was not heading into the fifth round of the championship full of confidence – soon displaced the Australian.
Having again been as open with the media as he has become known for, Norris said on Thursday he did not expect to have corrected the issues he is having with the driveability of the McLaren – even though he will start Sunday’s race three points clear at the top of the drivers’ championship standings.
While he and Piastri continue to push one another, the other usual suspects – George Russell for Mercedes and reigning world champion Max Verstappen – were once again there or thereabouts at the business end of the timing screens.
Russell bested the pace of the McLaren duo until the soft tyres went on up and down the pit lane just heading into the second half of the hour-long session.
After that it appeared as though it would be business as usual with Norris pumping in another fastest lap effort, only for Gasly to usurp the current championship leader with his own fine attempt.
Williams also looked strong in the early running around the narrow and fast Jeddah Corniche Circuit, with Alex Albon fifth and Carlos Sainz seventh, sandwiching Russell.
Lewis Hamilton was over half a second down on Ferrari team-mate Leclerc and had to settle for eighth, with Verstappen – again bemoaning a lack of balance in his Red Bull – ninth with Yuki Tsuonda keeping the Dutchman honest in 10th.
Liam Lawson, demoted from Red Bull to Racing Bulls in a swap with Tsunoda ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix, was next in 11th, less than a tenth of a second off the pace of his replacement.
F1 Saudi Arabian GP - FP1 results
|
1
-
2
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cla | Driver | # | Chassis | Engine | Laps | Time | Interval | Tyres | km/h | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 |
P. Gasly
Alpine
|
10 |
|
Alpine | Renault | 25 |
1'29.239 |
S | 249.065 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2 |
L. Norris
McLaren
|
4 |
|
McLaren | Mercedes | 25 |
+0.007 1'29.246 |
0.007 | S | 249.046 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3 |
C. Leclerc
Ferrari
|
16 |
|
Ferrari | Ferrari | 28 |
+0.070 1'29.309 |
0.063 | S | 248.870 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4 |
O. Piastri
McLaren
|
81 |
|
McLaren | Mercedes | 25 |
+0.102 1'29.341 |
0.032 | S | 248.781 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5 |
A. Albon
Williams
|
23 |
|
Williams | Mercedes | 23 |
+0.367 1'29.606 |
0.265 | S | 248.045 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 6 |
G. Russell
Mercedes
|
63 |
|
Mercedes | Mercedes | 21 |
+0.379 1'29.618 |
0.012 | S | 248.012 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 7 |
C. Sainz
Williams
|
55 |
|
Williams | Mercedes | 26 |
+0.540 1'29.779 |
0.161 | S | 247.567 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 8 |
L. Hamilton
Ferrari
|
44 |
|
Ferrari | Ferrari | 27 |
+0.576 1'29.815 |
0.036 | S | 247.468 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 9 |
M. Verstappen
Red Bull Racing
|
1 |
|
Red Bull | Red Bull | 26 |
+0.579 1'29.818 |
0.003 | S | 247.460 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 10 |
Y. Tsunoda
Red Bull Racing
|
22 |
|
Red Bull | Red Bull | 26 |
+0.582 1'29.821 |
0.003 | S | 247.452 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| View full results | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Photos from Saudi Arabian GP - Practice
2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday
2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday
2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday
2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday
2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday
2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday
2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday
2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday
2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday
2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday
2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday
2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday
2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday
2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday
2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday
2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday
2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday
2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday
2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday
2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday
2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday
2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday
2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday
2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday
2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday
2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday
2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday
2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday
2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday
2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday
2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday
2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday
2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday
2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday
2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday
2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday
2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday
2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday
2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday
2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday
2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday
2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday
2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday
2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday
2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday
2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday
2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday
2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday
2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday
2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday
2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday
2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday
2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday
2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday
2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday
2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday
2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday
2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday
2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday
2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday
2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday
2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday
2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday
2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday
2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday
2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday
2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday
2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday
2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday
2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday
2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday
Share Or Save This Story
F1 driver market – Who is tied down for 2026?
What’s next for sacked Red Bull boss Christian Horner?
How Mercedes will help Kimi Antonelli recover from a run of tough F1 results
Red Bull faces fresh driver headache as Isack Hadjar shines, says former F1 TV presenter
David Coulthard urges F1 to change safety car rules after "dull" British GP
"Free Max": New image of Maximilian Paul offers hope following crash
F1 British GP safety car finish defended amid fan backlash
What is Racing Bulls doing that Red Bull isn't?
Why Williams is still feeling the weight of expectation
Why there are no quick fixes for all of Max Verstappen’s frustrations at Red Bull
Why Fred Vasseur's steady hand is exactly what fervent Ferrari needs right now
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
Top Comments