Verstappen fastest in Saudi Arabia GP FP3 as Bearman makes F1 debut
8th March 2024Red Bull’s world champion, Max Verstappen was the fastest driver in the final practice session of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix as Oliver Bearman made his F1 debut with Ferrari.
Ahead of final practice, it was announced by Ferrari that their driver Carlos Sainz would not be able to continue with the rest of the weekend. This was a result of appendicitis which required the Spaniard to have surgery.
As a result, Sainz’s absence opened the door for Bearman to step up for the famous Ferrari team to make his official debut.
The session was not without issue as Kick Sauber’s Zhou Guanyu crashed out heavily, at turn seven, which brought out the first driver-induced red flag of the season.
After the final hour of practice, Verstappen stood as the fastest driver out on track with a 1m 28.412s time. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and, Verstappen’s teammate, Sergio Perez completed the top three in second and third respectively.
One-tenth separated Verstappen from Leclerc by the end of the hour, with their best times, whereas it was nearly half a second between Verstappen and Perez.
Mercedes’ George Russell was best of the rest down in fourth as McLaren’s Lando Norris completed the top five.
The Aston Martin duo of Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll finished FP3 in sixth and seventh, ahead of Oscar Piastri, Lewis Hamilton and Leclerc’s temporary teammate, Bearman who completed the top 10.
Although FP3 was Bearman’s first official session, he was the last driver to remain within a second of Verstappen’s best time as the Briton was 0.894s off the pace.
Haas’ Kevin Magnussen was the leading driver of the bottom 10, in 11th, ahead of former Alpha Tauri teammates Pierre Gasly (Alpine) and Yuki Tsunoda (RB) who occupied 12th and 13th.
Esteban Ocon (Alpine) and Nico Hulkenberg (Haas) rounded out the top 15, in 14th and 15th respectively.
RB’s Daniel Ricciardo, Alexander Albon (Williams), Valtteri Bottas (Kick Sauber) and Zhou picked up the scraps as the slowest drivers out on the circuit in order of; 16th, 17th, 18th and 19th.
Only Logan Sargeant finished lower, in P20, but he did not manage to set a lap time on the board after he clipped the barrier at turn 22 which ruined the left-side steering rack, and forced him to pit for repairs.
That’s all for the article; Verstappen fastest in Saudi Arabia GP FP3 as Bearman makes F1 debut!
Read more Formula 1 here:
- Audi to complete full takeover of Sauber in prep for 2026 F1 entry
- Bearman jumps in for Sainz at Saudi Arabian GP after requiring surgery
- 2024 Saudi Arabia GP: Alonso pips Russell and Verstappen in delayed FP2
- Saudi Arabia GP: Verstappen tops FP1 ahead of Alonso and Perez
- Alpine to change technical structure in bid for better results
- Verstappen wins with 22.5 seconds in hand at Bahrain GP
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Hi, I’m Kamron. I created ApexMotorsports.co.uk in the dying embers of the 2021 Formula 1 world championship. It allowed me freedom to write whatever I wanted to write about which was all things motorsports, my passion.
I have put a lot of effort in over the years to keep this website in its best shape and I’ve loved seeing the brand grow consistently, month-on-month, year-on-year. My ambition is to keep watching this brand grow into a primary outlet of news for all things motorsports whilst fueling my desire to pursue a career in sports journalism, specialising in motorsports.
Kamron Kent
Hi, I'm Kamron. I created ApexMotorsports.co.uk in the dying embers of the 2021 Formula 1 world championship. It allowed me freedom to write whatever I wanted to write about which was all things motorsports, my passion. I have put a lot of effort in over the years to keep this website in its best shape and I've loved seeing the brand grow consistently, month-on-month, year-on-year. My ambition is to keep watching this brand grow into a primary outlet of news for all things motorsports whilst fueling my desire to pursue a career in sports journalism, specialising in motorsports.
