#F1 #SaudiArabianGP FP3: @Max33Verstappen tops time-sheets in red-flag shortened session.

Verstappen Saudi Arabian GP FP3 – Red Bull’s Max Verstappen topped the time-sheets in the final FP3 session ahead of qualifying at the Saudi Arabian GP ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc as Sergio Perez rounded out the top three in the other RB20 entry – with the session shortened due to Sauber Zhou Guanyu’s big crash.

 

 

Verstappen set the session-topping benchmark of a 1:28.412 on the C4 Pirelli red side-walled soft tyres and was 0.196 seconds quicker than Leclerc as Perez was a further 0.494 adrift of his Red Bull team-mate in third.

 

Sauber’s Valtteri Bottas was the first driver to emerge at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit, with plenty of attention on Ferrari’s Oliver Bearman (see story below) – a crowd of cameras and photographers clustered in-front of what is now the Briton’s garage.

 

Bottas set the initial benchmark of a 1:31.307, with Bearman soon out behind him on the C3 medium rubber.

 

The Briton initially toured nearly two seconds behind Bottas, with Mercedes’ Sir Lewis Hamilton then beating the duo posting a 1:30.793 on the C4 softs approaching the 10-minute mark of the hour-long session.

 

Just past this, Bearman’s second flying lap saw the Ferrari reserve who replaces the ill Carlos Sainz for the rest of the weekend, bring him closer to the pace, Bottas re-took P1 on a 1:30.770, before Bearman pipped that with a 1:30.277 effort.

 

However Hamilton carrying on with his second hot-lap on the softs, reclaimed top spot with a 1:30.253 at the opening 15 minutes ended, with most of the field still in the pits.

 

This did not include Mercedes’ George Russell in the other F1 W15, as he was already out – also on the softs – but running with a lower downforce rear wing package compared to team-mate Hamilton.

 

Russell initially ran off the pace of his Silver Arrows team-mate and Bearman before he took P1 on his second flyer, which came in with a 1:29.862 just before the 20^th-minute mark, after which Leclerc moved into second place just 0.146 adrift on the medium rubber.

 

After this, the Red Bull drivers emerged, with Perez hitting the top of the time-sheets immediately with a 1:29.562 on the softs, with Verstappen’s initial flying lap putting the reigning world champion second by 0.211 seconds off the Mexican also on the C4’s.

 

Approaching the end of FP3’s opening half-hour, Leclerc’s continued stint on the mediums put the Monegasque driver in top spot as his second flying lap came in with a 1:29.206, then as the clock went over the 30^th-minute mark, Verstappen’s second hot-lap on the softs meant he moved ahead with a 1:28.893 and a new 0.313 gap at the front of the leaderboard.

 

After two more cool down tours on his first set of softs, Verstappen when for a third time with 25 minutes left and lowered the benchmark further posting a 1:28.412 and an increased gap over Leclerc at this stage of 0.794 seconds.

 

Shortly after this – when Verstappen joined many other of his fellow competitors in the pits, but with the Dutchman complaining he hit “something” possibly a “plastic bottle” with his front-right tyre at the opening corner – Alonso put his Aston Martin AMR24 entry into third behind Leclerc and MoneyGram Haas F1 Team’s Kevin Magnussen.

 

The break in action then saw Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber Zhou Guanyu crash heavily at turn eight – having lost the rear of his Ferrari-powered C44 in turn seven and spun off backwards into the barriers, with the left and rear side of the car badly damaged from the impact and the Chinese driver was quickly able to walk away unscathed from.

 

Zhou’s C44 was cleared away within five minutes of the shunt occurring with 17 minutes of the session remaining, but FP3 only got going again with five minutes left on the clock.

 

The field all headed out, but they slowly travelled out on the softs, each of the 18 runners only got one flyer in.

 

Russell used his final soft hot-lap to jump up to second before being demoted, first by Leclerc, then by Perez in ending up adrift of Verstappen’s benchmark from much earlier.

 

As McLaren’s Lando Norris, Aston Martin pairing Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll, McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and Mercedes’ Hamilton slotted in to run behind Russell from fifth place onwards, Verstappen completed his final flying tour last of the frontrunners.

 

For much of the flyer, the Dutchman looked as he would improve on his benchmark before he lost time in sector three and not bettering his effort by 0.010 seconds, which secured his gap to Leclerc at 0.196 and 0.494 seconds to Red Bull team-mate Perez.

 

McLaren’s Oscar Piastri was eighth and ahead of Mercedes’ Hamilton who was ninth as Ferrari’s Bearman completed the top ten.

 

Haas F1 Team’s Kevin Magnussen placed out the top ten in 11^th place and in-front of Alpine’s Pierre Gasly who took 12^th and RB’s Yuki Tsunoda who came 13^th in the order.

 

The second Alpine A524 entry of Esteban Ocon was 14^th and ahead of the other Haas VF-24 entry of Nico Hulkenberg who was 15^th and RB’s Daniel Ricciardo who placed 16^th.

 

Williams Racing’s Alexander Albon and Logan Sargeant ended the session in 17^th and at the rear respectively as Sauber duo Valtteri Bottas and the aforementioned Zhou split the pairing in 18^th and 19^th.

 

Sargeant took a clip to the wall, reporting that he could not steer properly with his FW46 racer needing more checks, with Team Principal James Vowles confirming he will take part in the upcoming qualifying session.

 

You can see the full Formula 1 STC Saudi Arabian Grand Prix 2024 Free Practice 3 Results Classification at the link: https://www.formula1.com/en/results.html/2024/races/1230/saudi-arabia/practice-3.html

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Bearman replaces Sainz due to illness

 

 

Bearman replaces Sainz Ferrari – Ferrari announced this morning Carlos Sainz would take no further part in this weekend’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix after being diagnosed with appendicitis which requires surgery, with reserve driver Oliver Bearman stepping up to replace the Spaniard.

 

Sainz missed his pre-weekend duties at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit, before taking part in Free Practice 1 and 2.

 

Having described his running as the “toughest” in a Formula One car to date, the Scuderia confirmed on Friday morning that the Spaniard was ruled out of action and that Formula 2 driver Bearman would take his place alongside Charles Leclerc from Free Practice 3 onwards.

 

 

The statement from Ferrari read: “Carlos Sainz has been diagnosed with appendicitis and will require surgery. As from FP3 and for the rest of this weekend, he will be replaced by reserve driver Oliver Bearman. Oliver will therefore take no further part in this round of the F2 Championship. The Ferrari family wishes Carlos a speedy recovery.” Credit to Ferrari from the quote.

 

Bearman, 18, got his initial taste of Formula 1 machinery with Ferrari towards the end of the season, in preparation for a pair of Free Practice 1 outings with Haas at the Mexican and Abu Dhabi Grands Prix.

 

The Briton has completed several more F1 test runs with the Scuderia and is currently competing in the FIA Formula 2 World Championship with the Prema Racing Team, having scored four victories and placed sixth in last year’s series’ standings.

 

After a difficult start to the 2024 season last weekend in Bahrain, Bearman struck back claiming pole position in Jeddah, but as Ferrari came calling, the Briton will take no further part in the F2 race weekend.

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***Breaking News – Audi complete 100% takeover of Sauber***

 

 

Audi takes over Sauber – Breaking news from the paddock saw German manufacturer giant Audi move to accelerate their commitment to Formula 1 by opting to take a 100% stake in Sauber, ahead of their arrival to the sport in 2026.

 

In 2022, Audi – part of the Volkswagen Group – announced they would join Formula One as a power-train supplier when sweeping new rules and regulations which feature increased electrical power, and 100% sustainable fuels will be introduced in two years’ time.

 

They opted to partner with Sauber – one of the longest standing outfits in the sport – and planned to acquire a stake in the Sauber Group. However, the German manufacturer chose to complete a full takeover of the Swiss business.

 

Andreas Seidl, who joined the team from McLaren to take the role of CEO of the Hinwil based-squad at the start of 2023, will become Audi F1 Team’s CEO.

 

Audi said Seidl will oversee the running of the Formula 1 operation and act as “the face of the future Audi Formula 1 Team”.

 

Seidl explained: “I am looking forward to leading Audi into Formula 1 together with a highly motivated team as CEO of the Audi F1 Team. We have a clear roadmap for how we want to become competitive in Hinwil as well as in Neuburg [Audi’s F1 Power Unit facility]. We have ambitious goals. Realisation of them is in progress and will be further accelerated through the complete takeover of Sauber by AUDI AG.” Seidl concluded. Credit to F1 for the quote.

 

Oliver Hoffmann, who is currently heading Audi’s Technical Department becomes part of a newly-created position of General Representative.

 

His role entails putting together the Formula 1 team, the development of the new Audi power-train, the “strategic and activation of the project by Audi”.

 

Hoffmann will also become Chairman of the Board of Director of all Sauber companies.

 

Hoffmann added: “Formula 1, is my big passion. I am convinced that by bundling responsibilities and taking over 100% of Sauber Group, we will further accelerate our preparations for the launch in 2026. I am pleased we were able to secure the services of Andreas Seidl as Audi F1 Team CEO. He is exactly the right man for our ambitious plan. Thanks to his broad experience from leadership roles on the manufacturer and Formula 1 team side, he will make a significant contribution to Audi’s Formula 1 project.” Hoffmann concluded. Credit to F1 for the quote.

 

Hoffmann has significant motorsport experience, having held the role of Head of Audi Sport. He oversaw the victories in DTM and Formula E whilst Audi became the first manufacturer to win the famous Dakar Rally with an electrified drivetrain earlier this year.

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#F1 #SaudiArabianGP FP2: @alo_oficial pips @GeorgeRussell63 by 0.230s.

#SaudiArabianGP FP1: @Max33Verstappen quickest ahead of @Alo_Oficial, #Perez. #F1

#F1 STC #SaudiArabianGP 2024 Race Preview. #Formula1 #SaudiArabiaGP