Gasly Fastest in Saudi Arabia Grand Prix Practice

Pierre Gasly, driving for Alpine, topped the first practice session at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix by 0.007 seconds over McLaren's championship leader Lando Norris, benefiting from a late run on soft tyres and improved track grip. Norris, who leads team-mate Oscar Piastri by three points in the standings, finished ahead of Ferrari's Charles Leclerc and Piastri, despite discomfort with his car. Max Verstappen struggled with balance in his Red Bull and finished outside the top positions, but he and team principal Christian Horner dismissed rumors about his future with the team. In the second practice session, Norris set the fastest lap, followed by Piastri and Verstappen, while Yuki Tsunoda crashed and caused a red flag. Williams' Alex Albon and Mercedes' George Russell featured in the top ten in both sessions. The evening's second session under race-like conditions is expected to provide a clearer picture ahead of qualifying and the race.