P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Following the opening two practice sessions at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, McLaren appear to be in a strong position – but it may not have it all its own way for the rest of the weekend.
McLaren topped the timesheets in second practice at the Jeddah Circuit, aiming to maintain their strong season start. Red Bull interrupted McLaren’s winning streak in Japan, but struggled in Bahrain due to balance and overheating issues. The smoother track in Jeddah should ease tyre degradation concerns. McLaren enters the weekend as favorites, with Norris showing better tyre management than Piastri.
Long runs in practice were cut short by Tsunoda’s crash, limiting high-fuel lap data. McLaren’s lack of straight-line speed may be due to engine power adjustments. Still, Norris and Piastri set the fastest lap times in second practice. Norris excelled in the middle sector, despite not using upgrades.
Qualifying position remains important despite ample overtaking opportunities in Jeddah. Piastri’s aggressive braking style gives him an early corner advantage, while Verstappen maximizes throttle percentage throughout the lap. McLaren and Red Bull continue to be front-runners heading into the race.
