P1racenews AI automatic summary:
World Champion Max Verstappen set the fastest time during the opening practice session for Formula 1’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
Max Verstappen set the fastest lap time of 1:29.659s during the daytime session at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit in hot and breezy conditions, taking the lead on the timesheets. Verstappen was followed by Fernando Alonso in second place and Sergio Perez in third, who won at Jeddah from pole position in 2023. George Russell briefly held the quickest time on the Hard tyres before Verstappen edged him out on Soft tyre laps. Despite not winning at Jeddah in 2023, Verstappen, Alonso, and Perez were the top three drivers in the session. Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz of Ferrari followed in fifth and sixth, with complaints of debris on the track causing some issues. Lando Norris, Lewis Hamilton, and Lance Stroll also faced challenges during the session, with Haas at the bottom of the timesheets after opting out of Soft tyre runs.
