Lando Norris topped the final practice session for the 2025 FIA Formula 1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, two hundredths of a second ahead of team-mate Oscar Piastri as the McLaren duo finished six tenths clear of Mercedes’ George Russell. 

With the track temperature at 52˚C, the session got off to a slow start but eventually Alpine’s Jack Doohan got things going with a Soft tyre time of 1:30.613. Haas’ Esteban Ocon then moved to P1 with a lap of 1:30.515 on the same compound. 

The McLaren drivers then took to the track and Piastri quickly jumped to P1 with a Soft tyre lap of 1:29.118, with Norris slotting into P2 on eight hundredths of a second behind his team-mate. Haas’ Oliver Bearman took fourth place three tenths off his compatriot. 

Friday’s third fastest driver Max Verstappen was out on track, however, and with Soft tyres on board the defending champion moved to P1 with a lap of 1:29.077, four hundredths ahead of Piastri. 

Verstappen headed back to the pits, but Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc was on another run on Softs, and despite a wobble in the final corner that almost caught out the Monegasque driver, he moved two tenths of a second ahead of Verstappen. 

The McLarens were also into their second runs and once again Piastri took P1 with a lap of 1:28.605, 0.158s ahead of Norris. Piastri then lowered the benchmark further with a time of 1:28.470. 

Verstappen then headed out for another attempt. And after team-mate Yuki Tsunoda had popped up from 17th to fifth in his repaired RB21 to sit just two hundredths off the champion, Verstappen opened a gap to the Japanese driver by posting a lap of 1:28.747 that left him third and 0.277s off Piastri. Leclerc then went three hundredths clear of Verstappen to drop the Red Bull driver to fourth. 

There was a brief lull soon as the final third approached and then the field began to make the switch to new Softs for qualifying runs. 

Piastri ‘s lap of 1:27.513 put clear air between himself and the rest of the field, with the Australian seven tenths of a second ahead of George Russell. Only McLaren team-mate Norris could get close, and the Britain’s flying lap put him in second place, 0.158s adrift. Russell dropped to third, eight tenths ahead of Leclerc, while Williams’ Alex Albon delivered a strong lap of 1:28.289 to sit a little over two hundredths clear of Verstappen who slotted into sixth two and half tenths ahead of Tsunoda. Williams Carlos Sainz and Alpine’s Pierre Gasly then bumped Tsunoda out to ninth ahead of Kimi Antonelli. 

Norris went for a final attempt, however and though he lost time in the final sector, a purple opening third and a personal best in Sector 2 were enough to hand him P1 on 1:27.489, two hundredths of a second ahead of his team-mate who clipped the barriers on his final flyer and aborted the lap. Verstappen was the last to improve, with the Dutchman finding 0.079s to climb from sixth to fourth ahead of Leclerc.

2025 FIA Formula 1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix – Free Practice 3
1 Lando Norris McLaren/Mercedes 1:27.489 18 254.047
2 Oscar Piastri McLaren/Mercedes 1:27.513 0.024 19 253.978
3 George Russell Mercedes 1:28.116 0.627 17 252.240
4 Max Verstappen Red Bull/Honda RBPT 1:28.334 0.845 14 251.617
5 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1:28.372 0.883 21 251.509
6 Alexander Albon Williams/Mercedes 1:28.389 0.900 16 251.461
7 Carlos Sainz Williams/Mercedes 1:28.570 1.081 15 250.947
8 Pierre Gasly Alpine/Renault 1:28.625 1.136 16 250.791
9 Yuki Tsunoda Red Bull/Honda RBPT 1:28.670 1.181 14 250.664
10 Andrea Kimi Antonelli Mercedes 1:28.679 1.190 18 250.638
11 Isack Hadjar Racing Bulls/Honda RBPT 1:28.769 1.280 17 250.384
12 Lewis Hamilton Ferrari 1:28.780 1.291 20 250.353
13 Liam Lawson Racing Bulls/Honda RBPT 1:28.861 1.372 18 250.125
14 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin/Mercedes 1:28.888 1.399 19 250.049
15 Jack Doohan Alpine/Renault 1:28.898 1.409 21 250.021
16 Oliver Bearman Haas/Ferrari 1:28.989 1.500 15 249.765
17 Nico Hülkenberg Sauber/Ferrari 1:29.220 1.731 16 249.119
18 Esteban Ocon Haas/Ferrari 1:29.336 1.847 20 248.795
19 Gabriel Bortoleto Sauber/Ferrari 1:29.410 1.921 24 248.589
20 Lance Stroll Aston Martin/Mercedes 1:29.478 1.989 19 248.400