Verstappen fastest in Saudi Arabian first practice

Red Bull's Max Verstappen lapped fastest in Thursday's first practice for the Saudi Arabian Formula One Grand Prix with Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso second on the timesheets.

The floodlit second round of the 24-race season is being held at Jeddah's Corniche circuit on Saturday night, one day earlier than usual, to accommodate the start of Ramadan on Sunday.

Triple world champion Verstappen set the fastest lap of one minute 29.659 seconds, 0.186 quicker than Spain's Alonso, with team mate and last year's race winner Sergio Perez third and 0.023 further behind.

The lap time - in unrepresentative afternoon conditions since the race is after dark - compared with last year's fastest in first practice, a 1:29.617 also by Verstappen.

George Russell was fourth fastest for Mercedes, ahead of Ferrari's Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz - the latter reporting for duty after feeling unwell on Wednesday.

"The track, it's like Mario Kart. There are plastic bags everywhere," reported Leclerc over the team radio.

McLaren's Lando Norris was seventh, Mercedes' seven times world champion Lewis Hamilton eighth and Aston Martin's Lance Stroll ninth, despite clipping the barriers, with Williams Alex Albon 10th.