Qualifying day in Jeddah has kicked off with McLaren stealing the spotlight—Lando Norris led the final practice (FP3), with teammate Oscar Piastri hot on his heels. Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton, meanwhile, are both struggling with their cars and form.
Verstappen, though third fastest, isn’t satisfied:
“Still not where I want to be… The long runs were very tough.”
Meanwhile, Hamilton placed just 13th in FP2—over half a second slower than Charles Leclerc. Despite the performance dip, Lewis is optimistic:
“We’ll make some changes tonight and hopefully bounce back tomorrow.”
Penalty Drama for Hamilton?
Hamilton narrowly avoided a grid penalty after impeding Alex Albon during practice. The FIA admitted he was “unnecessarily in the way,” but Albon later downplayed the incident as “not dangerous.”
Verstappen to Mercedes? Not So Fast.
Rumors about Max Verstappen switching to Mercedes have been shut down—team boss Toto Wolff made it clear he’s committed to George Russell and rising star Kimi Antonelli.
“No talks with Max. We’re happy with our current lineup,” said Wolff.
Former Mercedes strategist James Vowles even warned that Max and Russell wouldn’t make a good pairing, calling them “not compatible.”
Ferrari’s “Untapped Potential” & Red Bull’s Future
Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur believes their car has more to offer despite early-season struggles, while Red Bull chief Christian Horner doubled down that Verstappen isn’t going anywhere:
“Max reaffirmed his commitment. Everything else is just noise.”
Also buzzing in the paddock: Sebastian Vettel could take over Helmut Marko’s role at Red Bull someday, as the 81-year-old advisor eyes retirement.
Quick Hits:
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FP3 Top 3: Norris, Piastri, Russell
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Yuki Tsunoda crashes out and takes full responsibility.
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Jack Doohan addresses Alpine rumors—focused on performance despite speculation.
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George Russell believes Hamilton will find his groove: “We’ve already seen glimpses of his magic.”
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