Saudi Arabian Grand Prix: Max Verstappen fastest in first practice

Jeddah (BBC): Red Bull’s Max Verstappen set the pace in first practice at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix ahead of Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso.

Verstappen, dominant winner of the first race in Bahrain last weekend, was 0.186 seconds ahead of Alonso. Verstappen’s team-mate Sergio Perez was third fastest, from Mercedes’ George Russell and the Ferraris of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz.

McLaren’s Lando Norris was seventh fastest ahead of Lewis Hamilton.

Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll and Alex Albon of Williams completed the top 10. Just 0.577secs separated Verstappen in first from Hamilton in eighth on the Jeddah street circuit, the second longest track on the calendar after Belgium’s Spa-Francorchamps.

The session was held in daylight, while qualifying and the race are after dark, a day earlier than usual on Friday and Saturday to ensure the race weekend is over before the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

And the session took place under the shadow of the latest development in the ongoing saga over allegations involving Red Bull team principal Christian Horner. Red Bull have suspended the employee who made the initial complaint against Horner, who has already denied the allegations. Following an internal inquiry, Red Bull’s board dismissed the complaint against their F1 team principal and chief executive officer.