Jeddah FP3: Norris leads McLaren 1-2 as Ferrari struggle with Hamilton P12

Welcome back to the lightning-fast Jeddah Corniche Circuit for the final hour of preparation ahead of what promises to be a thrilling qualifying session. Free Practice 3 delivered a clear front-runner, but also highlighted potential struggles for some of the sport's biggest names, all set against the backdrop of a significantly altered driver lineup for 2025.

When the chequered flag fell, it was Lando Norris who topped the timing sheets for McLaren, setting a blistering lap of 1m 27.489s. His teammate, Oscar Piastri, was just fractions behind, completing a dominant McLaren 1-2, 0.024s adrift. This performance firmly establishes the Woking squad as the team to beat heading into qualifying under the floodlights.

McLaren's Commanding Pace

McLaren's pace was evident from early in the session. After initial runs saw drivers like Jack Doohan and Oliver Bearman briefly top the timesheets, the papaya cars quickly asserted their authority. Piastri initially led the way with a 1m 28.470s, already quicker than their FP1 times in similar conditions. He then lowered his benchmark to a 1m 27.513s, a lap described as blowing away the "tight gaps" seen earlier. Norris responded, going even quicker with his session-topping 1m 27.489s.

The gap back to the rest of the field was substantial in FP3 conditions. George Russell was the best of the rest in third for Mercedes, over six tenths behind Norris (+0.627s). Reigning champion Max Verstappen finished fourth for Red Bull Racing, eight and a half tenths off the pace (+0.845s), though he did benefit from a tow from Lewis Hamilton on his best lap.

While these gaps look large, the transcription notes a similar situation in Bahrain FP3 last weekend, where qualifying proved to be much tighter. However, denying Norris or Piastri pole position here will clearly take "something very special."

Ferrari's Unexpected Struggles

In stark contrast to McLaren's confidence, Ferrari appeared to be facing significant challenges. Both Charles Leclerc (P5, +0.883s) and Lewis Hamilton (P12, +1.291s) reported issues with grip. Leclerc radioed that he felt he was at the "limit of the car," with it "sliding from all four tires." Hamilton, making his first competitive appearance for Ferrari this weekend, sounded particularly frustrated, muttering a simple "jeez" when told how far he was down on the sectors and later stating, "still don't have grip mate."

Hamilton had aborted his first flying lap after running wide and seemed unable to find the confidence needed on this demanding street circuit. Leclerc was closer to the front in P5, but still nearly nine tenths off the pace. The Ferrari garage will need some serious "head scratching" to find a setup direction that works, with options like adding or removing downforce and adjusting car height, but no more practice time to test them.

Midfield Mix and Notable Performances

The midfield battle looks incredibly tight, with several teams showing promising pace. Williams had a particularly strong session, with Alexander Albon finishing an impressive sixth (+0.900s) and Carlos Sainz seventh (+1.081s). The transcription notes that Sainz, now driving for Williams, looked "much, much happier in his cockpit" and that Williams have a "shot at getting two cars into Q3."

Alpine also showed potential, with Pierre Gasly securing eighth (+1.136s) and Jack Doohan fifteenth (+1.409s). Gasly's performance was described as a "good opening salvo," while Doohan looked to be "building some confidence."

Racing Bulls saw Yuki Tsunoda finish ninth (+1.181s), a solid recovery after his crash in FP2. His teammate, Liam Lawson, was thirteenth (+1.372s). Isack Hadjar, also driving for Racing Bulls, finished P11 (+1.280s) despite spending time in the pits with a suspected rear wing change and complaining about his drink system ("water flying around my helmet").

Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli finished tenth (+1.190s), just ahead of Hadjar. He and Tsunoda were noted as needing to "step it up to match their team mates" (Russell and Verstappen respectively) for qualifying.

Haas seemed to fade in FP3 compared to earlier sessions, with Oliver Bearman in sixteenth (+1.500s) and Esteban Ocon eighteenth (+1.847s). Bearman, who made headlines here last year, showed early promise, noting the "front end takes a little way stronger than yesterday." However, the team continues to grapple with bouncing issues, often resulting in differing setup preferences between drivers.

Kick Sauber's Nico Hulkenberg was seventeenth (+1.731s), while Gabriel Bortoleto finished nineteenth (+1.921s). Bortoleto was the first driver out as the session began, making up for lost time after missing FP2 due to a fuel leak.

Aston Martin also appeared to be struggling for single-lap pace, with Fernando Alonso fourteenth (+1.399s) and Lance Stroll twentieth (+1.989s). Both drivers spent time scrubbing tyres on harder compounds early on.

Conditions and Tyre Strategy

FP3 took place in hot conditions, with air temperature at 29.6°C and a scorching track temperature of 44.7°C (down from 52°C earlier). These conditions are expected to cool "dramatically" for qualifying under the floodlights, which will increase grip levels.

Pirelli has brought softer compounds (C3, C4, C5) compared to last year, and even softer than Bahrain. Tyre degradation is expected to be an issue, adding another strategic layer. Most teams focused on the soft tyre for performance runs, with many bolting on a second set in the final minutes to simulate qualifying conditions.

Looking Ahead to Qualifying

McLaren are undoubtedly the favourites based on this session, but the significant time gaps and Ferrari's struggles add intrigue. Can Ferrari find the grip they need? Will Red Bull and Mercedes unlock more pace as the track cools? The midfield is incredibly tight, promising a fierce battle for Q3 spots. Traffic on the narrow, high-speed circuit will also be a major factor.