Max Verstappen Tops Saudi Arabian Grand Prix Opening Practice
Three-time world champion Max Verstappen shut out the noise surrounding his Red Bull team on Thursday to clock the fastest lap in opening practice at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. Verstappen topped the times in one minute and 29.659 seconds to finish ahead of two-time former champion Fernando Alonso of Aston Martin by 0.186 seconds. The 26-year-old Dutchman's Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez was third ahead of Mercedes' George Russell and the Ferraris of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz with Lando Norris seventh for McLaren. Seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton was eighth in the second Mercedes ahead of Lance Stroll, in the other Aston Martin, and Alex Albon of Williams. On a hot day at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit, a high-speed smooth-surfaced track that makes very different demands to those experienced in Bahrain last week, the air temperature was 27 degrees and the track 42.
