Hamilton Frustrated as Crash Sparks Chaos in Saudi GP Practice
Lewis Hamilton faced a difficult Friday at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, with both Free Practice 1 and 2 proving troublesome. During FP2, Hamilton was investigated by the stewards after an incident in which Alex Albon had to swerve to avoid colliding with the Ferrari driver. Albon later labelled Hamilton’s driving as “dangerous,” and officials confirmed the incident would be reviewed post-session.
Chaos erupted late in FP2 after Yuki Tsunoda crashed his Red Bull at the final corner, bringing out a red flag. Though it was uncertain if the session would resume, all remaining 18 drivers returned to the track in the closing moments. The scramble for track space caused confusion, with Lando Norris narrowly avoiding a collision by overtaking a group of cars preparing for practice starts.
Meanwhile, rookie Gabriel Bortoleto missed out on FP2 entirely due to a fuel leak in his Sauber, ruining his chances of a meaningful run in the evening session.
FP1 also delivered a surprise as Alpine’s Pierre Gasly topped the session on soft tyres, ahead of McLaren’s Norris and Ferrari’s Leclerc. Hamilton could only manage eighth place, while Max Verstappen ended up ninth.
Liam Lawson was also called up by the stewards after FP1 for not following the race director’s instructions. He received a reprimand rather than a penalty.
F1 FP2 Results: Saudi Arabian Grand Prix 2025
1. Lando Norris [McLaren] – 1:28.267
2. Oscar Piastri [McLaren] – +0.163
3. Max Verstappen [Red Bull] – +0.280
4. Charles Leclerc [Ferrari] – +0.482
5. Carlos Sainz [Williams] – +0.67
6. Yuki Tsunoda [Red Bull] – +0.69
7. George Russell [Mercedes] – +0.706
8. Pierre Gasly [Alpine] – +0.839
9. Nico Hulkenberg [Kick Sauber] – +0.926
10. Alex Albon [Williams] – +0.953
11. Kimi Antonelli [Mercedes] – +0.975
12. Isack Hadjar [Racing Bulls] – +1.039
13. Lewis Hamilton [Ferrari] – +1.10
14. Liam Lawson [Racing Bulls] – +1.221
15. Fernando Alonso [Aston Martin] – +1.395
16. Ollie Bearman [Haas] – +1.48
17. Jack Doohan [Alpine] – +1.645
18. Lance Stroll [Aston Martin] – +1.740
19. Esteban Ocon [Haas] – +1.752
20. Gabriel Bortoleto [Kick Sauber] – NO TIM
F1 FP1 Results: Saudi Arabian Grand Prix 2025
1. Pierre Gasly [Alpine] – 1:29.239
2. Lando Norris [McLaren] – +0.007
3. Charles Leclerc [Ferrari] – +0.070
4. Oscar Piastri [McLaren] – +0.102
5. Alex Albon [Williams] – +0.367
6. George Russell [Mercedes] – +0.379
7. Carlos Sainz [Williams] – +0.540
8. Lewis Hamilton [Ferrari] – +0.576
9. Max Verstappen [Red Bull] – +0.579
10. Yuki Tsunoda [Red Bull] – +0.582
11. Liam Lawson [Racing Bulls] – +0.668
12. Nico Hulkenberg [Kick Sauber] – +0.677
13. Kimi Antonelli [Mercedes] – +0.695
14. Fernando Alonso [Aston Martin] – +0.737
15. Isack Hadjar [Racing Bulls] – +0.772
16. Jack Doohan [Alpine] – +0.944
17. Lance Stroll [Aston Martin] – +1.344
18. Ollie Bearman [Haas] – +1.356
19. Esteban Ocon [Haas] – +1.79
20. Gabriel Bortoleto [Kick Sauber] – +1.799
Current F1 World Champion:
Max Verstappen, who secured his fourth consecutive drivers’ championship last season.
Is There F1 Today?
Yes. FP2 was scheduled after FP1 on Friday, April 18, starting at 8 PM local time (6 PM BST).
