In a thrilling final practice session ahead of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, Lando Norris surged to the top of the leaderboard, narrowly edging out his McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri by just 0.024 seconds. The razor-thin margin showcased the fierce intra-team battle brewing within McLaren, while their overall pace sent a clear message to the rest of the grid.

Norris Navigates to the Front in Dominant Display

The McLaren pair dominated the session, leaving the competition in the dust with a commanding 0.627-second gap back to George Russell in the Mercedes. The performance further solidifies McLaren’s growing momentum in the 2025 Formula 1 season, with both Norris and Piastri looking poised to challenge the usual front-runners.

While many anticipated a Red Bull showcase, it was Max Verstappen who slotted into fourth—behind Russell—with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc rounding out the top five. The pecking order hints at a possible shake-up in Saturday’s qualifying, particularly with McLaren’s form seemingly stronger than ever.

Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton continued to struggle behind the wheel of his Ferrari. The seven-time world champion could manage no better than 12th, clocking in 0.408 seconds slower than Leclerc, and clearly frustrated. Over the radio, Hamilton was heard lamenting a lack of grip and sounding increasingly bewildered by the car’s handling. It’s a concerning sign as the team looks to regain consistency after a turbulent start to the season.

Elsewhere on the timesheets, Williams’ Alex Albon and Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz delivered solid showings, as did Alpine’s Pierre Gasly. Interestingly, Yuki Tsunoda, piloting the second Red Bull, was outpaced by all three, ending his session outside the top 10. Mercedes prospect Andrea Kimi Antonelli rounded out the top group, continuing to impress in his rookie campaign.

Though the gap between McLaren and the chasing pack appeared striking, it closely mirrored their performance in Friday’s race-simulation runs—a sign that the orange machines may very well be contenders when it matters most under the Jeddah lights.

As qualifying looms, all eyes will be on whether Norris and Piastri can convert practice dominance into pole positions. If today’s performance is any indication, McLaren may be gearing up for a serious title push this season.