2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix: McLaren Dominates Final Practice Session at Jeddah

As the sun began its descent over the demanding Jeddah Corniche Circuit, the atmosphere was electric for the final practice session of the 2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. This crucial hour offered teams and drivers one last opportunity to fine-tune their machines and strategies before the all-important qualifying session. With the high-speed street circuit known for its unforgiving nature and the ever-present threat of the barriers, every lap was a delicate balance of aggression and precision. The session promised to be a thrilling prelude to what is anticipated to be a fiercely contested qualifying, and indeed, it delivered a compelling narrative, especially concerning the ascendant McLaren team.

Early Session Dynamics and Emerging Talents

The lights went green, signaling the start of FP3, and the track immediately sprang to life. Unsurprisingly, Gabriel Bortoleto, who had a frustrating Friday losing valuable track time due to a fuel leak that kept him out of the second session, was among the first to hit the asphalt. Eager to make up for lost mileage, Bortoleto quickly began his exploratory laps, gathering much-needed data on the circuit’s conditions and his car’s behaviour. His early presence highlighted the relentless nature of Formula 1, where every second of track time is invaluable.

Another driver under immediate scrutiny was Jack Doohan. Despite not quite matching the impressive lap times of his teammate Pierre Gasly throughout the weekend – a discrepancy possibly linked to Gasly having the advantage of a fresh Renault engine – Doohan bravely set the early pace. Clocking a 1’30.613 on soft tyres, he demonstrated the raw speed required on this lightning-fast circuit. However, his early efforts were overshadowed by a pending investigation; Doohan would later be reviewed for failing to follow the race director’s instructions, a reminder of the strict regulations governing even practice sessions.

Hamilton’s Initial Struggles and Ferrari’s Young Gun

Less than ten minutes into the session, Lewis Hamilton, a multiple world champion, joined the fray. Driving for Ferrari in 2025, Hamilton has reportedly not found his comfort zone with the car so far this weekend, a sentiment echoed by his early laps. His initial efforts saw him post a 1’30.367, placing him second to newcomer Bearman. This suggested a persistent challenge for the British driver to unlock the full potential of his new machinery on the Jeddah circuit.

Meanwhile, Oliver Bearman, another promising talent, quickly stamped his authority, setting the fastest time with a 1’30.252. His immediate feedback, “The front axle is way stronger than yesterday, that’s a good thing,” provided a valuable insight into the setup changes and improvements made overnight, indicating his team was making progress in addressing handling characteristics. Charles Leclerc, Hamilton’s Ferrari teammate, also began his assault on the clock, eventually slotting into third initially, showcasing Ferrari’s developing pace as the session progressed.

Mid-Session Intensity and Shifting Dynamics

As the session matured, the lap times rapidly tumbled, illustrating the increasing grip on the track and the drivers’ growing confidence. Doohan momentarily reclaimed the top spot with a 1’29.666 before Oscar Piastri unleashed a blistering 1’29.118, demonstrating McLaren’s burgeoning pace and hinting at their strong weekend form. Lando Norris, Piastri’s McLaren teammate, couldn’t quite match Piastri’s initial time but remained within a tenth of a second, suggesting a tight intra-team battle.

Verstappen’s Challenge and Ferrari’s Strategic Moves

Max Verstappen, a formidable force in any session, embarked on his flying lap. Despite not being far off the McLarens in previous sessions, he reported “weird engine braking” again, indicating a recurring technical challenge with his Red Bull. Nevertheless, Verstappen showed his relentless commitment, going fastest of all through the first two sectors to seize the top spot with a 1’29.077, just four hundredths of a second ahead of the McLarens. This provisional pole highlighted his inherent speed even when grappling with car issues.

Ferrari, meanwhile, continued its strategic approach. Both Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz Jnr had taken new power units today, a significant move that could offer a performance boost but also comes with reliability considerations. Leclerc improved his time to a 1’28.860, placing him 0.217s ahead of Verstappen at that point, showcasing Ferrari’s intent to be at the sharp end. Hamilton, however, continued to struggle, only managing to improve to 12th, four tenths off Leclerc, underscoring the difficulties he faced in mastering the challenging Jeddah layout with his new car.

Tyre Strategy and Unexpected Performances

A notable trend throughout the session was the overwhelming favour of soft tyres by the drivers. This strategic choice suggested that teams did not anticipate needing these soft compounds extensively in the grand prix itself, likely saving the more durable hard and medium compounds for the longer race stints. Instead, the focus was firmly on extracting maximum performance for qualifying simulations.

Among the midfield, several drivers delivered impressive performances. Alexander Albon produced a fine lap for Williams, temporarily elevating him to fourth, a testament to the team’s ongoing development. Max Verstappen, despite his engine braking woes, followed closely in fifth, still undoubtedly having more pace in reserve. Yuki Tsunoda also made strides, improving his time and narrowing the gap to Verstappen to just three tenths of a second. This indicated AlphaTauri’s (or whatever their designated team name for 2025 is) potential to challenge for points. Carlos Sainz Jnr, driving for Ferrari, showed improved comfort and pace, placing fifth ahead of both Mercedes cars, Tsunoda, and Hamilton, illustrating the tight competition in the upper midfield.

McLaren’s Dominance Takes Shape

As the session entered its final 20 minutes, the intensity reached a fever pitch. George Russell, representing Mercedes, headed out for his run. Mercedes had not appeared as competitive in Saudi Arabia as they had in recent races, and their performance in FP3 was under keen observation. Russell went quickest with a 1’28.214, a respectable time, but it was clear that McLaren had more in hand.

The Battle for Pole Position Preview

True to form, Oscar Piastri then unleashed a monumental improvement, shattering Russell’s time with a 1’27.513 – a staggering seven tenths of a second quicker. This lap sent a clear message to the paddock about McLaren’s formidable pace. Lando Norris followed suit, going second, just 0.158s off Piastri, highlighting the incredible intra-team competition that has become a hallmark of the McLaren pairing. The Woking-based outfit looked supremely confident, their cars dancing through the high-speed corners with remarkable stability and grip.

Verstappen, not one to concede easily, put in a late improvement to go fourth, though still eight tenths of a second adrift of Norris. Hamilton continued to grapple with the first chicane, eventually making it up to 12th, four tenths of a second off Leclerc, suggesting significant setup work was still needed on his Ferrari. Ultimately, the chequered flag fell, confirming a dominant McLaren one-two, with Norris narrowly pipping Piastri by just two hundredths of a second to claim the top spot. Russell finished over six tenths behind in third, highlighting the significant performance gap McLaren had established.

Final Moments and Key Takeaways

The final practice session concluded with McLaren asserting a commanding presence. Their one-two finish, spearheaded by Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, suggests they have found a sweet spot with their car setup on the demanding Jeddah circuit. The substantial gap to third-placed George Russell hints at a challenging qualifying session ahead for Mercedes, who have struggled to replicate their recent competitive form. Red Bull, with Max Verstappen, showed glimpses of pace, but the “weird engine braking” issues indicate potential underlying problems that need swift resolution if they are to challenge McLaren for pole.

Ferrari, despite new power units for both drivers, still appeared to be chasing ultimate pace, particularly with Lewis Hamilton’s ongoing struggles to find comfort in the car. The midfield, however, showcased some strong individual performances, with Alexander Albon’s spirited lap for Williams and Yuki Tsunoda’s consistent improvements suggesting a lively battle for Q3 spots. The heavy reliance on soft tyres also signals a shift in strategy, with teams prioritising qualifying performance over long-run data in this final hour.

Looking Ahead to Qualifying

With FP3 concluded, all eyes now turn to qualifying. The raw speed displayed by McLaren makes them the clear favourites for pole position. However, the unique challenges of a street circuit mean that even the slightest error can be severely punished. Max Verstappen’s ability to extract pace despite technical issues means he can never be counted out, and Ferrari will be working tirelessly to unlock more performance from their new power units. The stage is set for a thrilling battle under the lights of Jeddah, promising high-stakes drama as drivers push the limits in pursuit of grid advantage for the 2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

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