Third Free Practice Report & Results 2025 Saudi Arabian F1 GP

F1 Race Event: Saudi Arabian Grand Prix
Race Track: Jeddah Corniche Circuit

Weather: dry  29°C
Tarmac: dry  48°C
Humidity : 57.0%
Wind : 6.8 km/h

Norris and Piastri Light Up Jeddah: McLaren Dominate FP3 in Saudi Heat

Jeddah, Saudi Arabia – April 19, 2025
The final hour of practice ahead of the 2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix served up a sizzling preview of what could become a McLaren masterclass under the lights. With Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri separated by just 0.024s at the top of the timesheets, the papaya squad left no doubt that they’ve brought serious firepower to Round 4 of the Formula 1 season.

McLaren On Fire as Temperatures Soar

Despite track temps spiking at a toasty 52°C during FP3, Norris nailed a 1m27.489s to top the session — a time flirting with last year's pole lap and a clear statement ahead of qualifying. Piastri, just a whisper behind, briefly held the top spot before his teammate edged ahead in the closing moments.

George Russell kept the silver star shining for Mercedes in P3, though he trailed the McLarens by over six tenths. Max Verstappen, getting a sneaky tow from Hamilton, slotted into P4 but looked like he was fighting the heat more than the stopwatch. It’s not often you see the Red Bull ace that far off the front.

Ferrari Flustered, Hamilton Hustling

It wasn’t the cleanest session for Ferrari or Mercedes' seven-time champ. Charles Leclerc found himself fifth fastest but frustrated, telling the team bluntly: "That’s the limit of the car, I cannot go faster – it’s sliding in the corners." Not exactly the confidence you want hours before quali.

As for Hamilton, things went from bad to worse. After running wide on a flying lap, he aborted and radioed back with a dejected “Jeez,” when informed how far off the pace he was. He finished the session in a head-scratching P12, and unless something magical happens under the lights, Q3 could be a stretch.

Yuki Bounces Back, Williams Impress Again

Red Bull’s Yuki Tsunoda made headlines for the right reasons today, bouncing back strongly after his FP2 wall-kissing mishap. He ended FP3 in P6, showing he can still hustle the RB21 when the walls close in.

Meanwhile, Williams continued to punch above their weight, with Alex Albon finishing in the top 10 and teammate Franco Colapinto looking handy too — not bad for a team once written off as backmarkers. Both could be in the Q3 fight if the stars align later.

The Midfield Mayhem Builds

The battle just behind the big names is absolutely boiling over. Gasly popped into P8 for Alpine, while rookie Jack Doohan impressed with a P11 on his second run. Isack Hadjar in the Red Bull-powered RB also showed glimpses of pace before a late-session pit visit for rear wing work.

Haas, on the other hand, faded under the heat — with Bearman and Ocon struggling to dial in performance despite recent upgrades. One lap pace still feels elusive for them, though Bearman did manage to top the early timings before the big hitters rolled out.

Heat Today, Hopes for Grip Tonight

Toto Wolff summed up the day best: “Looks like Bahrain. In FP3 when it’s very hot, McLaren are in a league of their own.” But as always in Jeddah, practice pace in the sun doesn't always translate to qualifying form under the lights. As track temperatures drop and grip ramps up, the field is likely to bunch back together — which could set up a thriller.

Qualifying Teed Up to Be a Classic

With Norris and Piastri leading the charge, and Russell and Verstappen lurking, we’ve got ourselves a potential blockbuster coming up in just a few hours. Ferrari needs to find answers fast, Hamilton needs a miracle, and the midfield is ready to ambush.

FP3 Times Table 2025 Saudi Arabian GP

✅ Don't forget to check out the 2025 Saudi Arabian F1 Grand Prix preview.

The quickest lap time of last year's third practice was a 1:28,412 min driven by Max Verstappen on a set of soft tyres underneath the Red Bull RB20

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