Saudi Arabia GP Qualifying Report

Apart from exhaustion from a triple header, everyone was ready to go racing in Saudi Arabia.

The only drivers to hit the wall in the first session were Hadjar and Albon.  Verstappen was fastest, ahead of the two McLarens, Antonelli and Tsunoda.  Some people looked like they were sandbagging.  Out went the usual clutch of suspects: Stroll, Doohan, Hulkenberg, Ocon and Bortoleto.  The Williams wunderkind of last year had his first lap time deleted and spun into the path of Verstappen on his third.

There were no incidents in the second session.  Albon went out early for his second lap, to cover off any chance of it being red flagged or raining but it didn't pay off and he went out in 11th.  Behind him was Lawson, Alonso, Hadjar and Bearman.  Antonelli continues as the best-performing rookie but should with the equipment he has at his disposal.  Norris was fastest, followed by Verstappen and then Piastri.

The third and final session saw drivers out fairly early to get a lap in, which was a good idea as Norris went over a curb, which propelled him hard into the wall, putting him out of contention and red flagging the competition.  His team mate, Piastri, was just across the line to set his time; for the first time, we saw the Australian's eyes light up inside his helmet.

In the final shoot out, it was between Piastri and Verstappen only Russell put a corker of a lap in and nearly got in the way of things.  The Red Bull took it by one hundredth of a second from the McLaren, with the Mercedes in third.  Behind them was LeClerc (a good showing by the lead Ferrari), Antonelli (does Hamilton wish he'd stayed in that car now?), Sainz (yes, quicker in a Williams than in his old Ferrari seat), Hamilton, Tsunoda, Gasly (who had shown such promise in practice) and Norris with no time set at all.

The FIA were trying out something new with the messages for viewers and letting us know who the last car across the line at the chequered flag was, which is fairly apparent anyway.   I wonder what else they'll come up with this season?