However, he added: “We've got some ideas on how to tackle that and we'll be running our simulator in Brackley overnight exploring a few directions.” Mercedes’ trackside chief Andrew Shovlin said the car was working well from the off in warmer conditions in FP1, but that it was “more of a challenge” in the second session concerning one-lap pace. READ MORE: Hamilton wary of Red Bull one-lap pace despite topping both Friday sessions at ‘incredibly fast’ Jeddah circuit However, few expected Red Bull to be as rapid as they were, with Mercedes’ one-lap speed actually 0.01s slower than their constructors’ championship rivals based on our simulations.
The simulations heading into the inaugural Saudi Arabian Grand Prix suggested the world’s fastest street circuit would reward those with power – and thus the expectation was that Mercedes would be quickest.Īnd so it proved on Friday, as Lewis Hamilton headed a Silver Arrows one-two in second practice, the session which was most representative as it echoed the cooler conditions we’ll see in qualifying and the race. But who will be the ones to shine this weekend? Here are five things we learned from Friday practice… 1.
“It’s quite hardcore, pretty full gas and close to the walls in high-speed.” That’s how Valtteri Bottas described the brand-new Jeddah Corniche Circuit – and the Finn wasn’t the only one to be impressed, with all of the drivers enjoying the challenge.