Norris heads McLaren 1-2 in F1 Saudi Arabian GP FP2

McLaren’s Lando Norris has topped the timing boards at the end of the second hour of practice ahead of his teammate, Oscar Piastri, at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

Feature image credit: McLaren Racing

Under the Saudi Arabian night, the sun had set and made way for the floodlights lighting up the Jeddah Corniche Circuit for the second hour of practice.

The conditions were cooler than earlier in the day and more representative of what the teams and drivers would expect for qualifying and the race on Saturday and Sunday.

Whilst FP1 went off without a problem, drivers were pushing the limits in the second hour. Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll suffered a spin in turn one as he locked up his rears under braking, but he was able to continue without further issue.

On the other hand, Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull, wasn’t as lucky as he tapped the barrier at the apex of the final corner. This sent the Japanese driver across the track and into the opposing barrier, smashing up his already broken front suspension. The session was red-flagged but soon resumed with a minute left on the clock.

Gasly pips Norris to fastest time in Saudi Arabian GP FP1

How did FP2 finish?

The two early championship contenders, Norris and Piastri, topped the timing boards for McLaren with the former going fastest with a 1m 28.267s lap, 0.163s faster than the latter. Red Bull’s Max Verstappen completed the top three, 0.28s behind.

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Williams’ Carlos Sainz rounded out the top five, in fourth and fifth, respectively. Despite crashing out in the last 10 minutes, Tsuonda’s best time slotted him in sixth.
Mercedes’ George Russell finished the session in seventh ahead of Alpine’s Pierre Gasly and Nico Hulkenberg, Kick Sauber, who occupied eighth and ninth. Williams’ Alexander Albon completed the top 10, in 10th.

Russell’s teammate, Kimi Antonelli, was the fastest driver in the bottom 10, in 11th ahead of Racing Bull’s Isack Hadjar and Liam Lawson finished in 12th and 14th, with Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton sandwiched in between, in 13th.

Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso rounded out the top 15.

The Haas duo of Oliver Bearman and Esteban Ocon found themselves in the bottom four, in 16th and 19th, with Alpine’s Jack Doohan and Stroll in 17th and 18th.

Sauber’s Gabriel Bortoleto failed to make an appearance in the second hour of practice thanks to a reported fuel leak.

Verstappen tells Sky F1 commentator to ‘focus on commentating’ at Saudi Arabian GP

Read more Formula 1 here:

• Gasly pips Norris to fastest time in Saudi Arabian GP FP1
• Verstappen tells Sky F1 commentator to ‘focus on commentating’ at Saudi Arabian GP
• Minor track changes to Jeddah track ahead of F1 Saudi Arabian GP
• Weather report: the latest forecast for the F1 Saudi Arabian GP
• Winners and Losers of F1 Bahrain GP
• F1 2025 Bahrain Grand Prix / Results

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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.

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.