Formula 1 – Saudi Arabia Qualifying – Follow all the build-up and live updates as embattled Christian Horner leads Red Bull team looking to recreate their Bahrain form with Ferrari’s Ollie Bearman, 18, becoming Britain’s youngest driver in history

The 18-year-old does double duty in the reserve, but it is the Maranello car team that will test first.

The 18-year-old is younger than Fernando Alonso’s second world champion.

…And just eight months older than the first, in 2005.

Let’s say that today’s course will be a small improvement over yesterday’s in F2.

Hamilton certainly thought the same after yesterday’s practice sessions, describing his day as “difficult”.

I simply lack confidence in the rear of the car and the set-up.

We worked a bit from session to session, we changed the car quite a bit, but the underlying problem is with the rear end which it was struggling with.

So I had a couple of really big moments. In these high-speed areas you need to have complete faith in the rear of the car, and I don’t have that yet.

We’ll have to look at the data and stuff, but George (Russell) is obviously much happier with his car.

It might have been easier for Christian Horner to play the “leave my family alone” card if he hadn’t paraded through the Bahrain paddock last week hand in hand with his wife, Geri, in front of everyone and their photographers. writes JONATHAN MCEVOY.

This whole dirty business has been an unedifying spectacle to all those close to it, just as it has been fascinating to those who have absorbed it vicariously through newsprint, with story after astonishing revelation for weeks on end. .

The latest twist came on Thursday when the woman in the eye of the storm, an unnamed colleague of Horner at Red Bull, was suspended from her job at the Milton Keynes factory, albeit on full pay…

The Ferrari was forced to slalom yesterday due to floating plastic bags on the track. We hope that the drivers will not be presented with any more obstacles, with higher points for avoiding them, on the Corniche this afternoon.

Horner has taken his usual spot behind a flowerpot in the paddock ahead of the final practice session, after last night sharing his thoughts on the possibility of his team suffering reputational damage as a result of the alleged leaked texts. -investigation.

The team principal made those comments before Honda’s statement, but here’s what he said:

Obviously there has been a lot of coverage around this. But we must return to the basis of the complaint that was raised. It was thoroughly investigated and was dismissed. And from there we move forward.

I think a lot has been gained from this. Obviously, it has been of great interest in different elements of the media for different reasons. I think now is the time to look forward and put an end to it. We are here to run.

We are here as a Formula 1 team and now it is time to focus on what is happening on the track and the performance of the cars and the drivers and where the focus should be over the course of a grand prix weekend. .

Friday is the new Saturday for Saudi Arabia’s adjusted calendar, and the race was moved up a day because Sunday marks the start of Ramadan.

That means the final practice session and qualifying before the Grand Prix will take place today, the first at 1:30 p.m. GMT.

Qualifying will begin hours later, at 5:00 p.m., and we will know our starting grid, barring penalty complications, at 6:00 p.m.

The Japanese engine manufacturer will supply power units to both Red Bull Racing teams until their contract expires at the end of the season, and they want answers.

You can read more about Red Bull partners’ thoughts on the turbulence at the constructor below.

The former world champion recorded a lap time of 1:28.827 in the second free practice session, 0.23 seconds faster than his closest rival, Mercedes’ George Russell.

Verstappen, who was the fastest in the first session of the day, had to settle for the third fastest time at the end of the game. But what can the winner of last week’s race achieve today?

Good question. The Ferrari reserve driver joined the Scuderia Driver Academy in 2021 and first got behind the wheel of one of its Formula One cars in October 2023 during a private test.

Bearman, who currently drives for Prema Racing in Formula Two, previously raced for the Italian constructors during free practice sessions at the 2023 Mexican Grand Prix and Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Last weekend, Bearman finished 15th in the standings in Sakhir; He today he will compete for a chance in the front row.

There is no shortage of surprises in the Formula One circus and the news this morning is that Sainz has fallen ill and that his place will be taken by a promising 18-year-old Briton.

Mail Sport’s JONATHAN MCEVOY has the full report below.