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Formula 1
Saudi Arabia GP
F1 Saudi Arabia GP Live Commentary and Updates
Friday's sessions from the inaugural Saudi GP at the Jeddah street circuit
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Antonio Giovinazzi made a surprise appearance in fifth place, having had to hot-foot it to Jeddah from his first Formula E test at Valencia earlier in the week. Am I gonna plug my feature? You bet.
To recap from earlier: Lewis Hamilton headed FP1, beating Max Verstappen, with Valtteri Bottas third in the overall timings.
Hello everyone - we're back! It's almost time for FP2 at Jeddah, another instalment in the teams' bids to understand this new circuit.
The field will return for FP2 under lights at 1700 GMT.
After struggling for pace for much of the session, Perez ended up P11 while Norris dropped out of the top 10, ending up in P13.
A second covers the top nine drivers.
Gasly continues to impress clocking the fourth fastest time ahead of an impressive effort from Giovinazzi for Alfa Romeo. Ferrari's Sainz and Leclerc ended up P6 and P7. Ricciardo, Alonso and Vettel round out the top 10.
Practice starts underway now before the cars return to pit lane.
Hamilton ends FP1 on top courtesy of a 1m29.786s. The Mercedes driver edges Verstappen by 0.056s with Bottas third.
Checkered flag
That's the end of FP1, the first F1 session of the inaugural Saudi Arabia GP.
Verstappen improves but slots into P2. The Red Bull driver is 0.056s slower than Hamilton as the chequered flag flies.
Ocon and Verstappen are involved in a near miss. Verstappen runs wide and Ocon manages to take avoidance action.
Into the final five minutes now. Hamilton remains fastest from Bottas, Verstappen, Gasly and Giovinazzi.
Alonso now lifts his Alpine to P9, so there is pace in the car to exploit.
In the other direction, Alpine has struggled for outright pace with Ocon P17 and Alonso P18.
Mick Schumacher has had a good session so far, sitting P14 ahead of Red Bull's Sergio Perez.
Giovinazzi has produced a decent effort to move into P5 for Alfa Romeo. Antonio was testing a Formula E car in Valencia earlier this week.
It's a Mercedes one-two currently.
Stopwatch
Hamilton moves to the top of the times with a 1m29.786s. He is the first into the 1m29s bracket.
Hamilton is on a flyer!
Just 15 minutes of the session remaining.
Replays show Raikkonen grazing the wall at the final corner.
Perez improves but the time is only good enough for P13.
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Bottas is enjoying himself. "This track is cool" says the Finn.
Sainz sits P3 for Ferrari ahead of Gasly, Leclerc and Hamilton.
Bottas goes fastest! The Mercedes driver posts a 1m30.009s to pip Verstappen by 0.005s.
Tsunoda has jumped into the top 10 now in P7 as Vettel goes P4 for Aston Martin.
Perez remains down in P17. The Mexican is 2.2s slower than teammate Verstappen.
Verstappen is back out there now and it appears he is on the softs. Will be interesting to see what he can do on those tyres.
Verstappen's car is being looked over by the team after he ran wide over the Turn 22 kerbs.
Verstappen and Hamilton are back in the garages. Plenty of action on the track though with 15 cars circulating.
So at the halfway point. Verstappen heads, Hamilton, Bottas, Norris, Leclerc, Gasly, Vettel, Ocon, Russell and Ricciardo. Sainz and Perez are currently P14 and P17.
Stopwatch
Hamilton doesn't improve as he crosses the finish line.
Hamilton is 0.2s slower than Verstappen in the first sector but goes purple in the second sector.
Only Hamilton, Ocon and Alonso out on track currently.
Verstappen, Hamilton and Bottas are the only drivers to have lapped in the 1m30s bracket.
Hamilton responds to slot in P2 on the softs. The seven-time champion is 0.6s slower than Verstappen as we approach the halfway mark.
Verstappen goes faster again! He lays down a 1m30.014s. The Red Bull driver is 0.9s quicker than Bottas in P2 now.
By: Autosport Staff
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