There was no challenging McLaren’s dominance in Saturday’s final dress rehearsal for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix qualifying, with Lando Norris edging Oscar Piastri to rule the session.
In an incident-free 60 minutes of running, Norris edged his Australian teammate by just 0.024s, but the pair were over half a second ahead of the field led by Mercedes’ George Russell.
Beyond the top-three, Red Bull’s Max Verstappen was P4, with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Williams’ Alex Albon closing out the top six.
The session began with Haas rookie Oliver Bearman setting the early pace, capitalizing on the quieter track before the frontrunners emerged.
But once the McLarens hit the circuit, Piastri took charge with a 1m28.605s, edging Norris by 0.085s after the initial soft-tyre runs. Verstappen briefly stole the spotlight 20 minutes in, posting a 1m29.077s to lead by 0.041s, but Piastri swiftly responded.
The Aussie’s pace was relentless, and by their fourth run, he unleashed a 1m27.513s, just a tenth off Verstappen’s 2024 pole time, with Norris trailing by 0.150s.
Norris, however, had the final word, improving on his last run to claim the top spot with his 1m27.489s, while Piastri couldn’t find more time.
Russell, biding his time in the unrepresentative early conditions, made a late charge for Mercedes. His 1m28.214s vaulted him to third, but the Briton remained 0.725s adrift of Norris, hinting that McLaren’s advantage might be amplified by the heat.
Verstappen, meanwhile, clawed his way to fourth with a late 1m28.334s, 0.845s off the pace.
The Red Bull driver, who completed fewer laps than his rivals, grumbled about “weird engine braking” issues, suggesting setup woes persist.
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, feeling the SF-25 was at its limit, settled for fifth, 0.879s behind Norris, with teammate Lewis Hamilton enduring another frustrating session.
The seven-time world champion, struggling to optimize his soft tyres, languished in 12th, 1.291s off the pace, behind Racing Bulls’ Isack Hadjar.
The midfield showcased notable performances, with Williams’ Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz securing sixth and seventh, respectively, underlining the British outfit’s dark-horse potential.
Yuki Tsunoda, despite missing early running due to repairs on his RB21 following a late FP2 crash, slotted into ninth, praising his mechanics’ efforts.
Mercedes’ Andrea Kimi Antonelli rounded out the top 10, while Hamilton’s ongoing struggles highlighted Ferrari’s challenge to unlock consistent pace.
As the sun sets for qualifying, McLaren’s scorching form positions Norris and Piastri as the ones to beat, but cooler evening conditions could yet shuffle the order.
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