Ahead of today's opening session, the air temperature is 28 degrees C, while the track temperature is 51 degrees.
There's a few more updates than at recent races, with McLaren bringing a new Diffuser and Rear Corner. The diffuser has been reshaped to improve overall flow conditioning in the area, with the aim of gaining aerodynamic performance, while the revised Rear Brake Duct Winglet arrangement results in an improvement in local flowfield around the rear corner translating to an increase in aerodynamic efficiency.
Having introduced its new floor last weekend, this week Ferrari has a new Rear Wing and Beam Wing. The top wing and lower beam wing options are carried-over components from last year's low/medium downforce events, and provide a larger step compared to the shorter chord top flap. The lower beam wing can be combined with different top wing assemblies.
Red Bull has a new Coke/Engine Cover and Beam Wing. The demands of Jeddah require the use of a larger top body to reject the heat needed for cooling, while the Beam Wing is to reduce the downforce at a given speed to observe the lift/drag requirements for this circuit.
Aston Martin has a new Rear Wing which is part of standard development to provide a wing with less load and hence drag to suit the characteristics of this circuit.
Haas has a new Rear Wing and Front Wing. Two carry-over Rear Wings from VF24 will be available this weekend, both with reduced drag and load level, which is achieved by raising and decambering the profiles. In order to achieve a correct balance level a less powerful front wing flap is available as well.
RB has a new Front Wing, Rear Wing and Beam Wing. Shortening the chord of the flap on the front wing results in less load being generated at a given flap angle, thereby allowing the car to be balanced for the lower rear wing levels expected at this circuit. An efficient reduction in drag & downforce is achieved by de-cambering the upper rear wing and raising the leading edge, making it a good option to achieve the optimum lap time at this particular track. Finally, further drag reduction is achieved by reducing the load generated by the lower element of the beam wing.
Stake has the most upgrades, these being a new Front Wing, Floor Body, Beam Wing and Rear Wing. The smaller front wing flap reduces the load generated by the front wing to ensure the team can rebalance the low-drag rear wing introduced here. The combined change of beam wing and rear wing endplate geometry is aimed at increasing overall efficiency at lower downforce levels, while the updated low drag rear wing assembly reduces load
efficiently.
There's a change in terms of tyres also, for while the compounds for the first four races were the same as last year, this weekend Pirelli has brought a softer step, with the C3 as hard, the C4 as medium and the C5 as soft. This, we are told, is in line with the aim to create more strategy choices for the race and therefore more exciting and unpredictable racing.
As was the case last weekend, this session - and FP3 - is unrepresentative due to the daylight conditions, but it does offer the opportunity to try those updates and get some basic data.
The lights go green and Ocon leads the way, followed by Albon, Sainz, Norris and Lawson.
As more drivers head out, other than mediums and hards, flo-vis is very much in evidence, almost every rear wing smothered in the stuff.
"I've got a massive vibration under braking," reports Antonelli.
Of the first wave Norris posts a 31.887 benchmark, but Verstappen responds with a 31.764.
A 31.548 sees Piastri go top, as Gasly goes fourth, ahead of Bearman, Antonelli and Alonso.
Russell goes third with a 31.860.
Soon, all but Ocon and Albon have posted times.
"Drink is leaking," reports Piastri, "better than last week, but it's leaking in my helmet."
Norris improves with a 30.454.
Verstappen stops the clock at 30.602, as Gasly goes third and Alonso fourth.
Despite a slow second sector, Piastri improves to second with a 30.567.
Russell goes top with a 30.425 as Sainz goes fifth, ahead of Leclerc and Gasly.
Bearman touches the wall at Turn 3 following a major lock-up. "I don't know what happened there," he admits.
Norris goes top again (29.980).
Sainz, currently fifth, is the highest placed runner on hards. Indeed, now, other than Bearman, he is the only rubber on the white-banded rubber.
A lot of drivers are struggling in the final corner as a result of a strong tailwind.
"I don't know what the Aston was doing," says Doohan of Stroll, "that's why I locked up," he adds, as Russell retakes the top spot (29.674).
"I touched the wall, right-hand side," admits Piastri, "small, but best to check."
Tsunoda improves to sixth with a 30.510, ahead of Antonelli, Albon, Gasly and Leclerc.
Tsunoda now improves to fourth with a 30.239. Gasly goes fifth and Albon eighth.
Lawson appears to be facing investigation for two separate incidents, both involving his failure to follow the race director's instructions. Not quite clear what he's done, but he appears to have done it twice.
With 35 minutes remaining, Sainz is the first to bolt on a set of softs. Piastri follows suit, as do Norris and Hulkenberg.
Sainz crosses the line at 29.919 to go second.
As more drivers switch to the red-banded rubber, Piastri goes quickest in the opening sector.
At the line its 29.708 - which puts him second - following a weak second sector.
Hulkenberg goes third with a 29.916, but is demoted when Norris improves to 29.246.
Verstappen goes fourth (29.818) but is demoted when Leclerc stops the clock at 29.780.
Hamilton improves to eighth with a 30.184.
Gasly does well to avoid the inside barrier as Verstappen complains of being unable to turn his car in Turns 1 and 2.
Tsunoda improves to sixth just 0.169s off his teammate's pace.
In the RB garage both cars are missing their rear wings. Lawson is currently 16th and Hadjar 18th.
Piastri improves (29.433) but remains second, 0.187s off the pace.
Seemingly new engines for the Bulls, RBs and Gasly this weekend.
Sainz improves to fourth with a 29.779, but is demoted when Gasly goes quickest with a 29.239, the Frenchman quickest in S3.
Doohan improves to eleventh, as Leclerc goes third with a 29.309.
Hamilton improves to ninth but remains 0.6s off his teammate's pace.
Norris and Verstappen head out on mediums.
Hamilton improves to eighth with a 29.815.
"Woah, so dangerous, please, someone tell Ferrari they cannot let people go by there," urges Sainz, though it isn't clear who he was referring to.
With 10 minutes remaining, the RBs head back out, both on softs.
"I'm very loose, in high speed especially," reports Verstappen.
Lawson's investigations both relate to entering the painted area between the pit entry and the track.
Lawson goes eleventh (29.907) as Hadjar aborts his first flyer.
Antonelli locks-up and runs wide in Turn 1 as Hadjar fails to improve.
Hulkenberg improves to twelfth as Albon complains about the balance of his Williams.
Hadjar improves to 15th with a 30.011 as Verstappen claims he has no balance.
"I touched the wall entry of Turn 4," admits Leclerc.
"I think it's the seat that's very hot," says Piastri, "it's the worst it's been."
The session ends. Gasly is quickest, ahead of Norris, Leclerc, Piastri, Albon, Russell, Sainz, Hamilton, Verstappen and Tsunoda.
Lawson is eleventh, ahead of Hulkenberg, Antonelli, Alonso, Hadjar, Doohan, Stroll, Bearman , Ocon and Bortoleto.
An interesting session, particularly in terms of Gasly's pace, but, as we said, somewhat unrepresentative.
Check out our Friday gallery from Jeddah here.
sign in