JEDDAH :Formula One leader Lando Norris pipped McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri to the top of the timesheets in final practice for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix on Saturday.
The Briton lapped the Jeddah Corniche circuit with a fastest time of one minute 27.489 seconds, 0.024 quicker than the Australian who won the previous race in Bahrain and is three points adrift.
Piastri will become the first Australian to lead the championship since Mark Webber in 2010 if he wins under the floodlights on Sunday but Norris has led since the opener in Australia.
George Russell was third fastest for Mercedes, 0.627 off the pace in the daylight session, with Red Bull’s Max Verstappen fourth (+0.845) and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc fifth (+0.883).
Alex Albon (+0.900) and Carlos Sainz (+1.081) were sixth and seventh for Williams with Alpine’s Pierre Gasly, fastest in Friday’s first practice, eighth.
Red Bull’s Yuki Tsunoda and Mercedes’ Italian rookie Kimi Antonelli completed the top 10.
Seven-times world champion Lewis Hamilton was only 12th fastest for Ferrari, behind Racing Bulls’ French rookie Isack Hadjar.
“I just don’t have grip mate, I don’t know,” said Hamilton over the radio.
