Fernando Alonso, the Spanish Formula One driver, has once again demonstrated his determination to compete with the best in the early stages of the 2023 World Championship. He achieved one of the best times in the first practice session of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix held in Jeddah.
Once again, he had to settle for being the second-fastest player behind the Red Bulls and ahead of the rest. Max Verstappen, the Dutch driver, was the fastest, followed by his teammate, the Mexican Sergio “Checo” Pérez, while Alonso claimed the third spot, just like in Bahrain.
Verstappen continues to set the pace, flying through all the sectors of the Jeddah circuit and beating Lewis Hamilton’s best time from 2021 by a full 1.5 seconds, clocking in at 1:29:617. Alonso finished six tenths behind Verstappen, and the other Spanish driver, Carlos Sainz, was 1.307 seconds behind the leader with his best lap on hard tires, finishing seventh overall.
Sainz’s teammate, Charles Leclerc, who will start ten places behind due to a central unit change, finished eleventh. Their times were the only ones set by different teams, as the Red Bulls dominated, followed by both Aston Martins, with Alonso’s car in fourth and Lance Stroll’s in fifth, who has recovered from his bicycle accident. The two official Mercedes cars finished fifth and sixth, with George Russell’s car ahead of seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton.