2024 F1 Round 2, Saudi Arabian GP FP2: Alonso Fastest in 1:28.827, Russell Second, Verstappen Third

Early on 8 March Beijing time, second practice for the 2024 Formula 1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix concluded at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit. Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso topped the timesheets with a 1:28.827, the team’s first practice-session lead of the season. Mercedes’ George Russell was second, 0.230 seconds behind, while first-practice pacesetter Max Verstappen was third.

The start of FP2 was delayed by ten minutes while officials carried out an urgent check on potentially loose bolts securing drain covers at the pit-lane entrance. With an air temperature of 25°C and a track temperature of 31°C, the 20 cars completed 60 minutes of running.

The Aston Martin AMR24 appeared well suited to Jeddah’s high-speed corners. Lance Stroll also performed well, finishing sixth, just 0.036 seconds behind fifth-placed Sergio Pérez. Alonso’s AMR24 showed strong long-run pace as well as speed over a single lap.

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz finished fourth and seventh respectively in FP2. Sainz subsequently had to withdraw to undergo surgery for appendicitis, and 18-year-old Briton Oliver Bearman made his first appearance in the Ferrari SF-24 in FP3, finishing tenth in that session.

RB used only soft tyres throughout second practice. Yuki Tsunoda was eleventh, 0.422 seconds ahead of team-mate Daniel Ricciardo, who was only nineteenth. Ricciardo said afterwards that he was puzzled by the car’s sudden loss of pace.

Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton was summoned by the stewards after driving slowly on track and impeding Logan Sargeant’s flying lap. He was not the only source of complaints amid heavy traffic: Alonso and Russell also voiced their frustration over the radio at being held up by other drivers.