Max Verstappen beats Fernando Alonso in Saudi Arabian GP second practice.

Max Verstappen Leads the Pack in Saudi Arabian Grand Prix Practice

In Jeddah, Max Verstappen demonstrated his dominance as he topped both practice sessions on Friday for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. With a time of 1:29.603, he was untouchable during the night-time conditions that will be mirrored for Saturday’s qualifying and Sunday’s race.

Fernando Alonso provided further evidence of Aston Martin’s remarkable progress as he finished second, splitting the Red Bulls. Sergio Perez was a tenth behind Alonso in third, while Alpine delivered an improved display as fourth-placed Esteban Ocon and teammate Pierre Gasly finished behind Mercedes’ George Russell.

However, Lewis Hamilton endured a challenging session as he could only manage an 11th place finish. Hamilton was expected to challenge Verstappen, but he finished just behind Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz, who seemed to have underperformed after technical issues in Bahrain.

There were suspicions that Ferrari were running their engines below full capacity as the team experimented. Both drivers were forced to take new power units following technical issues in Bahrain.

As practice continues, it is becoming increasingly clear that Verstappen is the man to beat in Saudi Arabia. With an impressive start to the season, it is no surprise that he is the favorite to win the championship.

If Verstappen continues with his form, it is going to be a tough season for Hamilton and his Mercedes team. Nonetheless, it is still early days, and we could yet see an upset in the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

Stay tuned for updates on the race weekend, and don’t forget to watch the live action on Sky Sports F1. With the night-time conditions set to deliver an exciting show, the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix promises to be an unforgettable event.#Saudi #Arabian #Max #Verstappen #tops #Fernando #Alonso #tight #practice #Jeddah