Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen continued his unwavering dominance at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, concluding the final practice session (FP3) with the fastest lap time. His impressive run saw him finish over six-tenths of a second ahead of his teammate, Sergio Perez, cementing a clean sweep of all three practice sessions at the high-speed Jeddah Corniche Circuit. This commanding display sends a clear message to the competition as teams brace for the crucial qualifying session.
The reigning world champion set a blistering pace, achieving the quickest time of the entire weekend with a 1’28.485 on the soft compound Pirelli tyres. This incredible lap, delivered in the final moments of the hour-long session, underscored not only Verstappen’s exceptional skill but also the formidable speed of the Red Bull RB19. Fernando Alonso once again demonstrated the strong potential of his Aston Martin, securing the third-fastest time. However, even the two-time world champion found himself almost a full second adrift of Verstappen’s benchmark, highlighting the significant performance gap established by the Dutchman.
Challenging Conditions and a Slow Start to FP3
As the last practice session to be held under the intense glare of the Arabian sun, FP3 presented uniquely challenging conditions for the teams. Track temperatures soared well over 40 degrees Celsius, creating an environment that was far from representative of the cooler, evening conditions expected for qualifying and the race. This thermal disparity often impacts tyre grip and car balance, making it difficult for teams to gather directly applicable data for the more critical evening sessions.
Consequently, the session began with an uncharacteristically quiet atmosphere. For the first fifteen minutes, only a handful of drivers ventured out onto the formidable Jeddah track, choosing instead to conserve tyre life and wait for slightly more optimal conditions or specific testing programmes. This cautious approach reflected the teams’ strategic thinking, prioritising data collection in conditions closer to those of qualifying rather than pushing for headline lap times under the scorching sun.
Despite the initial lull, teams eventually began their programmes. Aston Martin, one of the standout performers of the early season, was among the first to commit both Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso to longer runs. Both drivers initially headed out on medium compound tyres, completing steady out-laps before returning to the pits. Their strategy then shifted, with both cars being fitted with hard tyres for a subsequent run, before once again pitting. This methodical approach likely aimed at understanding tyre degradation across different compounds in preparation for Sunday’s Grand Prix, even if the conditions weren’t ideal.
De Vries’ Frustration and Early Pace Setters
Meanwhile, the session delivered a significant setback for Nyck de Vries, the AlphaTauri rookie and the only driver on the grid yet to experience the Jeddah Corniche Circuit in a competitive F1 car. His AlphaTauri team identified a critical problem with his power unit, necessitating a complete change. This unfortunate turn of events meant de Vries would miss the entirety of FP3, severely hampering his preparation for qualifying and leaving him with limited track knowledge heading into his first competitive session at this demanding venue. For a rookie, every lap is invaluable, and losing a full practice session is a heavy blow.
It was Oscar Piastri, the McLaren rookie, who eventually broke the silence on the circuit, setting the first recorded lap time of the day with a 1’32.351. His initial venture prompted a flurry of activity, as other cars soon followed suit. The two Mercedes drivers, George Russell and Lewis Hamilton, quickly ascended to the top of the timesheets, indicating their team’s early intent. However, their reign was short-lived as Max Verstappen swiftly asserted his authority. On hard compound tyres, Verstappen became the first driver in the session to dip below the 90-second barrier, clocking an impressive 1’29.882. This was a quarter of a second faster than Pierre Gasly’s Alpine, which had been running on the softer, faster tyres, underscoring the Red Bull’s inherent pace.
Not to be outdone by his teammate, Sergio Perez then launched his own challenge. Switching to soft compound tyres, Perez lowered the quickest time of the weekend even further with a 1’29.417, temporarily displacing Verstappen at the top of the leaderboard. The battle for supremacy within Red Bull was clearly on display. Elsewhere on track, Lewis Hamilton, pushing hard to improve his personal best, was forced to abort a flying lap attempt. The seven-time world champion encountered Lance Stroll’s Aston Martin positioned at the apex of Turn 16, creating a frustrating interruption to his run and highlighting the challenges of managing traffic on a fast street circuit.
Verstappen’s Late Surge and Near Miss with Norris
As the session approached its final 15 minutes, Max Verstappen re-emerged with a fresh set of soft tyres, signalling his intention to put down a definitive marker. His initial effort was nothing short of spectacular, delivering a 1’28.756 – by far the fastest time of the weekend at that point – and propelling him back to the top of the timesheets with considerable ease. However, this blistering lap was not without incident. After backing off following his rapid run, Verstappen inadvertently impeded Lando Norris through Turn 8. Norris, clearly frustrated, immediately voiced his complaints over team radio, labelling the move as “dangerous.” In a gesture of apology, Verstappen pulled alongside the McLaren driver on the approach to the challenging Turn 13 hairpin, raising his hand in acknowledgement of his error. While the race stewards noted the near-miss, they ultimately deemed it not worthy of a full investigation, allowing Verstappen’s time to stand.
Undeterred and perhaps keen to truly stamp his authority, Max Verstappen embarked on a second flying lap on the same set of soft tyres. Demonstrating remarkable consistency and raw speed, he improved his time further, shaving it down to a 1’28.660, extending his lead to almost half a second over his teammate Sergio Perez. Yet, even this was not his ultimate limit. On his seventh lap on those same soft tyres – an impressive feat of tyre management – Verstappen found another tenth and a half, pushing the benchmark down to an astounding 1’28.485. This final, sensational effort confirmed his iron grip on the session and indeed the entire practice weekend. As the chequered flag waved, it was clear that Verstappen had achieved a clean sweep, topping all three practice sessions with an undeniable display of speed and confidence.
Final Standings and What Lies Ahead
The final classification of FP3 reflected Max Verstappen’s exceptional performance at the top. Sergio Perez maintained his second position, albeit over six-tenths slower than his dominant teammate, indicating a clear hierarchy within Red Bull for now. Fernando Alonso solidified his impressive weekend for Aston Martin, securing third place, narrowly edging out his teammate Lance Stroll by less than three-hundredths of a second. The close proximity of the Aston Martin drivers bodes well for their qualifying prospects, positioning them as strong contenders for the front rows.
Lewis Hamilton led the charge for Mercedes, finishing in fifth, demonstrating some promising pace despite the earlier traffic incident. He was closely followed by Charles Leclerc in the Ferrari, who will undoubtedly be looking for more from his car in qualifying. The two McLarens of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri showed reasonable pace to secure seventh and eighth, respectively, suggesting the Woking team might be in a stronger position than in previous outings. Pierre Gasly’s Alpine rounded out the top nine, while Carlos Sainz Jnr secured the final spot in the top ten for Ferrari.
Looking ahead to qualifying, the hierarchy established in FP3 provides a strong indication of potential front-runners. Max Verstappen and Red Bull Racing appear to be in a league of their own, making Verstappen the clear favourite for pole position. The battle for the remaining spots on the front rows, however, promises to be fierce. Aston Martin and Mercedes have demonstrated solid single-lap pace, while Ferrari, despite their slightly lower positions in FP3, cannot be discounted, especially with Leclerc behind the wheel. The cooler track temperatures and more representative conditions of the evening will undoubtedly bring an added layer of excitement and unpredictability to the qualifying session, as drivers push the limits of their machines on one of the fastest and most challenging street circuits on the F1 calendar.
2023 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix Third Practice Results
| Position | Number | Driver | Team | Model | Time | Gap | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | RB19 | 1’28.485 | 20 | |
| 2 | 11 | Sergio Perez | Red Bull | RB19 | 1’29.098 | 0.613 | 15 |
| 3 | 14 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin-Mercedes | AMR23 | 1’29.483 | 0.998 | 21 |
| 4 | 18 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin-Mercedes | AMR23 | 1’29.509 | 1.024 | 21 |
| 5 | 44 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | W14 | 1’29.568 | 1.083 | 18 |
| 6 | 16 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | SF-23 | 1’29.588 | 1.103 | 16 |
| 7 | 4 | Lando Norris | McLaren-Mercedes | MCL60 | 1’29.690 | 1.205 | 18 |
| 8 | 81 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren-Mercedes | MCL60 | 1’29.698 | 1.213 | 23 |
| 9 | 10 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine-Renault | A523 | 1’29.701 | 1.216 | 19 |
| 10 | 55 | Carlos Sainz Jnr | Ferrari | SF-23 | 1’29.761 | 1.276 | 16 |
| 11 | 63 | George Russell | Mercedes | W14 | 1’29.811 | 1.326 | 19 |
| 12 | 24 | Zhou Guanyu | Alfa Romeo-Ferrari | C43 | 1’29.917 | 1.432 | 21 |
| 13 | 27 | Nico Hulkenberg | Haas-Ferrari | VF-23 | 1’29.933 | 1.448 | 19 |
| 14 | 31 | Esteban Ocon | Alpine-Renault | A523 | 1’29.953 | 1.468 | 19 |
| 15 | 23 | Alexander Albon | Williams-Mercedes | FW45 | 1’29.983 | 1.498 | 18 |
| 16 | 2 | Logan Sargeant | Williams-Mercedes | FW45 | 1’30.035 | 1.550 | 18 |
| 17 | 20 | Kevin Magnussen | Haas-Ferrari | VF-23 | 1’30.131 | 1.646 | 15 |
| 18 | 77 | Valtteri Bottas | Alfa Romeo-Ferrari | C43 | 1’30.317 | 1.832 | 20 |
| 19 | 22 | Yuki Tsunoda | AlphaTauri-Red Bull | AT04 | 1’30.797 | 2.312 | 20 |
| 20 | 21 | Nyck de Vries | AlphaTauri-Red Bull | AT04 | No time |
More on the 2023 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix:
- “Total transparency” needed over Ben Sulayem allegations – Russell
- FIA president Ben Sulayem under investigation for interfering in F1 race – report
- Two races, no points: How 2023 compares to McLaren’s worst starts to a season
- Don’t complain about Red Bull dominating F1, they deserve it – Sainz
- Alfa Romeo identify “massive debris” which ruined Bottas’ race
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