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Team Summary:
The second Friday practice session for the 2022 Saudi Arabian GP was delayed
as a result of an incident that took place outside the track, but that
required a meeting with drivers to discuss the situation. The session would
commence with only the medium and hard tyres in use. The whole field except
for the Red Bull's were running as the first lap times came in. Leclerc was
quickest with a 1m:30.216 from Sainz and Tsunoda. The Williams drivers were
currently 14th and 17th splitting their medium and hard tyre running. Norris
was was now third with the top ten cars all on the medium tyre. As they
continued to run the Williams pair were 18th and 19th having both completed
six laps. Both would pit a lap later. At the front the order was now
Leclerc, Sainz, Verstappen, Perez, Gasly, Tsunoda, Bottas, Alonso,
Ricciardo, Norris in tenth.
But Verstappen would go quickest with a 1m:30.214 as the first soft tyre run
from Hulkenberg was seen. He would be joined by Stroll and Russell and the
first of the Williams. Hulkenberg would move up to 12th seeing the Williams
pair now slowest. But with their soft tyre runs they were able to improve to
be 16th and 18th. Leclerc on the soft tyre would go quickest with a
1m:30.074 ahead of Verstappen who was now out on the soft tyre. The Williams
drivers were now 18th and 19th as Hamilton moved into fifth. With twenty
five minutes remaining Magnussen would pull his car over to the side of the
track with a further issue.
Verstappen would remain in second but for Leclerc his session would end
after he was to make contact with the wall with his left front seeing him
forced to pit with a broken steering arm. After the soft tyre runs drivers
would return for longer runs on the hard and medium tyres. The order was
Leclerc, Verstappen, Sainz, Perez, Hamilton, Russell, Norris, Ocon, Bottas,
and Tsunoda tenth. As the session drew to a close Tsunoda would pull off the
track with an issue. The Williams drivers were 18th and 19th as the session
ended. Both drivers were still struggling for outright pace despite the
reports having their long run pace as being reasonable. But the gap to those
in front was still a worrying margin.
Alex Albon:
Alex had been reprimanded for hindering Mick Schumacher in FP1. With the
start of the session Alex would be using the hard tyre. He would set a
1m:34.711 which would see him drop down to 17th. He would drop to 20th. But
Alex would improve with a 1m:33.203 to be right behind his team-mate now in
18th. This would become 19th and he would pit after a seven lap run. Alex
would return this time on the soft tyre. He would improve with a 1m:31.866
to be 16th. He would drop to 18th as others went quicker and would pit after
an eight lap run. Alex would return for a further run on the hard tyre. Alex
would pit returning on the soft to allow him to complete his practice starts
at the end of the session.
Nicholas Latifi:
With the start of the second free practice Nicholas was out on the medium
tyre. A 1m:33.749 would see him 13th dropping to 14th. This would become
15th despite improving with a 1m:33.210. He would drop to 17th one place
ahead of his team-mate. This would become 18th as he also pitted after a
seven lap run. Back in his pit his mechanics were seen doing a lot of work
at the back of his car. He would return for a soft tyre run and would set a
1m:31.814 to be 15th then 18th. He would pit after a seven lap run. He would
return this time on the medium tyre. He would complete a eleven lap run as
the session came to an end. |
