French driver Pierre Gasly dominated the first practice session of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, setting a blistering pace that left many behind. Lapping the Jeddah Corniche circuit with a best time of 1:29.239, Gasly edged out McLaren’s Lando Norris by just 0.007 seconds.
Norris, who is leading the Formula 1 standings, struggled to match Gasly’s speed, finishing third behind Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, who was 0.070 off the pace. Other top contenders, including Mercedes’ George Russell and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, also failed to capitalize on the sunny conditions.
The session provided a glimpse into driver confidence at the daunting Jeddah Corniche circuit, which is notoriously challenging due to its high-speed corners and gradual build-up of pace. Despite some inconsistencies in the results, Gasly’s performance suggests he is a force to be reckoned with in the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
Source: https://www.espn.com/f1/story/_/id/44697168/saudi-arabian-gp-pierre-gasly-sets-surprise-pace-alpine-fp1