Lewis Hamilton made it successive P1’s as he set the pace in Practice 2 at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
It was a story of tyres under the lights at Jeddah Corniche Circuit as drivers struggled to optimise the softer compounds over a single lap.
In fact, both Mercedes’ set their best times using the medium tyres, with the seven-time world champion posting a 1m29.018s to lead teammate Valtteri Bottas by just 0.06s.
Pierre Gasly did get the soft tyres into the right performance window and would go third just 0.02s behind Bottas in the AlphaTauri, ahead of Max Verstappen in fourth.
The two Alpines impressed in fifth and sixth with Fernando Alonso a tenth in front of Esteban Ocon.
Carlos Sainz was seventh, as Yuki Tsunoda set his best time on the hard tyres in eighth, proving just how crucial finding the right window will be come qualifying.
Sergio Perez was ninth as his difficult day continued in the second Red Bull with Charles Leclerc claiming 10th before suffering a hefty crash at Turn 22 late on, causing an early end to the action.
Charles Leclerc is off into the wall at Turn 22
He is out of his car and confirms he’s okay over the radio. The session has been red flagged and will not be resumed#SaudiArabianGP ?? #F1 pic.twitter.com/KWRttUcl0W
— Formula 1 (@F1) December 3, 2021
There was a Noah’s Ark effect outside the top 10 as the two McLarens took 11th and 12th, the two Alfa Romeos sat 13th and 14th and the two Aston Martins claimed 15th and 16th.
George Russell was 17th, as Mick Schumacher beat Nicholas Latifi into 18th and Nikita Mazepin brought up the field in 20th.
Back at the front and for now, as expected, Mercedes look pretty unstoppable in Jeddah, but the sensitive tyres do give Verstappen hope if he and Red Bull can find the secret.
Full results from Practice 2 can be seen below:
Lewis Hamilton makes it a Friday double…#SaudiArabianGP ?? #F1 pic.twitter.com/W2R6HYMQF2
— Formula 1 (@F1) December 3, 2021