Pierre Gasly Shines in Saudi Arabian Grand Prix Practice

Pierre Gasly topped the practice session for Alpine in the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. He clocked a best time of 1:29.239 at the Jeddah Corniche circuit, narrowly beating McLaren's Lando Norris. Ferrari's Charles Leclerc was third. The session was held in late afternoon conditions, unlike the night race.

Pierre Gasly emerged as the surprise leader during the first practice session for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, representing Renault-owned Alpine. The French driver recorded the fastest lap at the Jeddah Corniche circuit with a time of one minute 29.239 seconds.

He edged out McLaren's Lando Norris by a mere 0.007 seconds. Ferrari's Charles Leclerc followed closely in third place, trailing 0.070 seconds behind the leader. Oscar Piastri, also from McLaren and recent winner in Bahrain, secured the fourth spot.

The session, unfolding under the late afternoon sun along the Red Sea, served as an indicator of driver confidence ahead of the night race. Pierre Gasly's performance underscored his skill on a challenging track, with the rest of the top ten featuring prominent names like Alex Albon and George Russell.

(With inputs from agencies.)