Ahead of today's second session, the air temperature is 28 degrees C, while the track temperature is 38 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 flow field 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 morning - and FP3 - was unrepresentative due to the daylight conditions, but it did at least offer the opportunity to try those updates and get some basic data.
In a session which saw numerous incidents, but no stoppages, Pierre Gasly was quickest, ahead of Lando Norris, Charles Leclerc and Oscar Piastri, all covered by just 0.12s,
There were numerous lock-ups, the situation hot helped by a strong headwind in Turn 1, and a number of close encounters either with the barriers or rivals.
For his two misdemeanours in terms of entering the painted area between the pit entry and the track, Lawson earned a warning and then a reprimand.
Meanwhile, Gasly the Bulls and RBs have all taken on new power units.
Night has fallen, consequently we are now about to experience similar conditions to those for qualifying and, of course, Sunday's race.
Ahead of the green light, Bortoleto's car is up on its stand and not looking likely to be going out in this session. Seemingly there is a leak in the fuel system.
The lights go green and Ocon leads the way, followed by Bearman, Albon, Lawson and Antonelli. Most are on mediums though Albon is on hards.
Bearman gets things underway with a 31.055, however Verstappen soon responds with a 29.896 and this morning's pace-setter (Gasly) with a 30.296.
Tsunoda goes second with a 30.275, as Norris goes quickest in S2.
Doohan goes fifth and Alonso sixth, but both are demoted when Piastri posts a 30.286 and Norris a 29.272.
Leclerc goes second (29.477), Sainz seventh and Lawson tenth.
Stroll is off track at Turn 2 bringing out the yellows, rear-locking having sent the Canadian into a sudden spin.
"F****** dangerous," rightly declares Albon after a very, very close encounter with Hamilton in Turn 18.
Hamilton improves to fourth with a 29.949, as Piastri goes quickest in S1. The Australian subsequently crosses the line at 29.273 to go second, just 0.001s down on his teammate.
Quickest in S2, Russell crosses the line at 2.707 to go sixth.
That Hamilton/Albon incident will be investigated after the session.
PBs in all three sectors see Antonelli go sixth, just behind Tsunoda.
Piastri goes top with three PBS, stopping the clock at 29.140.
"I can't brake," says Gasly, "check the brakes."
Leclerc goes quickest with a 29.002 as a 29.522 sees Lawson go fourth, albeit on the softs.
Antonelli improves to sixth with a 29.564.
Russell, Sainz and Albon switch to the red-banded rubber, as do Hadjar and Stroll.
Russell immediately goes quickest, crossing the line at 28.973, an improvement of 0.7s.
"I've got a bit of high-speed bouncing," warns Russell as Sainz goes quickest with a 28.942.
Stroll can only manage 14th (30.007) as Hadjar posts a 29.415 to go sixth.
Quickest in all three sectors, Verstappen posts a new benchmark of 28.547.
Leclerc aborts his lap after encountering a slow Tsunoda though that doesn't imply that he was impeded.
Hulkenberg goes sixth with a 29.193.
Quickest in the final two sectors, Piastri goes top with a 28.430.
"I had a bad hit on the exit of Turn 4, check the floor," says Hadjar, asa Antonelli has a vicious snap.
Alonso goes 14th with a 29.726 as Aston Martin's struggle continues.
Norris goes quickest in S1 as Gasly goes sixth overall with a 29.106.
Tsunoda goes fourth (28.963) but is demoted when Norris bangs in a 28.340, 0.090s up on his McLaren teammate.
Doohan improves to seventeenth with a 29.912, the Alpine driver having hit the kerb in Turn 12.
On another flyer, following a poor opening sector, Piastri opts to abort the lap. Replay shows that he brushed the wall, as did Albon and Antonelli, the Italian giving the barriers a real clout in the final corner.
Hadjar goes twelfth with a 29.306.
Leclerc improves to fourth with a 28.749, the Monegasque posting a string of PBs.
With 18 minutes remaining, Verstappen and Sainz switch from softs to mediums as they look ahead to Sunday.
Norris locks-up and skates over the kerb in Turn 2 as drivers continue to push their luck.
Hamilton is currently 13th, 0.6s off his teammate's pace.
Oh dear. Tsunoda has hit the wall in the final corner.
The session is red-flagged.
As he climbs from the car, debris is strewn across the track. The tyre tracks a clear indication of his fateful trajectory.
Replay shows that he clipped the inside kerb and subsequently steered straight into the wall opposite.
"Ah, sorry guys," says the youngster. Asked if he is OK, it is clear that only his confidence has been damaged.
Despite there being just under four minutes remaining it is unlikely that the session will resume. However, a number of drivers remain hopeful.
Indeed, the session resumes at 20:59 (local time). Sainz leads the way, followed by Albon, Lawson, Bearman and Gasly.
All bar Antonelli and Hadjar head out, Bortoleto sidelined for the entire hour with that fuel leak.
Norris makes a cheeky move, nipping down the inside of Verstappen.
At the end of their laps the drivers head to the grid for a practice start.
The session ends. Norris is quickest, ahead of Piastri, Verstappen, Leclerc, Sainz, Tsunoda, Russell, Gasly, Hulkenberg and Albon.
Antonelli is eleventh, ahead of Hadjar, Hamilton, Lawson, Alonso, Bearman , Doohan, Stroll and Ocon.
Check out our Friday gallery from Jeddah here.
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