Our live coverage comes to a close from Saudi Arabia. Grasping distance from points today as Albono battled and battled... Plenty of positives to take into round three...see you in Melbourne in a couple of weeks! 🇦🇺

A valiant fight from Albono

Such a solid drive from Alex today. If the incident with Magnussen on lap 10 didn't occur, then points could have been on the cards...

And that's it! Alex takes the chequered flag to finish in P11. So close to points from Albono today after battling hard 😔

Albono still in P12, 5 seconds out from the Haas of MAG, who has a 20 second penalty. This makes Alex P11 as it stands. LAP 49/50

Alex makes his move on OCO at turn 1 and goes ahead into P12. Can he chase the Haas down for a points position? LAP 45/50

OCO still within sight, can Alex close the gap to get within DRS of the P13 Alpine again? LAP 42/50

Alex now over 1 second behind OCO, after running wide at turn 1 on lap 38. Still plenty to fight for though...

Alex is back chasing OCO in P13 again, can he catch up to make a move? LAP 36/50

Albono finally makes his move up the inside of turn 1 and lunges past TSU! Up to P14... LAP 34/50

Albono pushes on the outside of TSU at turn 13 and almost makes it. So close! P15

Alex now glued to the back of Tsunoda, it seems like only a matter of time before we see the overtake... LAP 30/50

Alex looks to make his move, but OCO just hangs on to P14... LAP 27/50

25 laps down with 25 to go. Alex still in P15, just two tenths off OCO now...

Under the lights 🤩

Alex currently in P15 at the back of a 3-car DRS train in front of teammate SAR... LAP 19/50

Confirmation that MAG has received a 10 second penalty for the incident with Albono. If you don't ask, you don't get...

Albono has his sights set on OCO in P14, only a matter of time before our Thai racer lines up a move.. LAP 17/50

And that question is a potential penalty for MAG, who is currently under investigation for the incident at turn 4... Alex - P15

"What is he doing?"

And as we go again the pack is very tight together and Albono makes contact making a move on MAG, it's unclear if there is damage. Alex has dropped to P15 as a result...

Alex into the pits and the hard tyres are on. Making the most of the cheap pit stop under the safety car. He comes out in P14 between MAG and OCO... LAP 8/50

Lance stroll into the wall and a safety car is deployed. Albono up to P12... LAP 7/50

Alex currently sitting at the back of a 4-car DRS train. He remains in P13 for now... LAP 6/50

The middle of the pack very tight, with Albono within six tenths of MAG as he looks to claim back his place...

And we are underway! Albono drops to P13 as MAG goes in front on turn 1...

Alex rolls out for the formation lap with medium tyres on his FW46, not long to go...

Lining up on the grid in P12, Albono is right in the mix with plenty to fight for this evening...

Going through the data in preparation...

Welcome back to the Jeddah Corniche Circuit, as Alex takes to the grid for his second race of the season! 20 minutes to go until lights out...

That's it for today's coverage. Join us tomorrow to follow Alex's progress in the main event - roll on race day here in Saudi!

Under the lights

And the day comes to a close for Alex on track until tomorrow. It will be a P12 start on the grid for Albono.

"...yeah, I'm quite happy with that."

Alex sets a 1:28.980, a strong effort but just not quite up there to reach Q3.

"We're just sliding, we don't have the downforce"

Albono boxes and is back out with a fresh set of softs. Time to push for that Q3 spot...

Lap times speed up as the track gets rubbered in. Albono goes P13 with a 1:29.409...

Locked in 🔒

Albono heads back out for Q2 following the stoppage. Nine minutes remaining - the track is going to get busy...

A red flag here in Jeddah, as Hulkenberg pulls over to the side of the race track. Back to the garage for now...

Albono is out onto the track for Q2, 3-lap old soft tyres on his FW46...

And Albono creeps into Q2 by seven hundredths of a second. That was close...

"I'm sorry but that Ferrari is outrageous..."

The final minutes remaining of Q1 here in Jeddah, Alex in P12...

Alex heads back out with a fresh set of softs, currently P11...

Alex heads back to the garage, currently in P9 with 7 minutes of Q1 remaining...

Albono improves on his first flying lap with a 1:29.107, sitting in P8 as it stands...

Alex sets a first time of 1:29.551, currently sitting in P10...

Albono rolls out the pit lane and onto the Jeddah Corniche Circuit, let's go...

Warmed up and ready to go...

And we are back from Jeddah with all your Alex updates, not long to go till Q1...

Alex doesn't find more time on old softs during his final push, ending the session in P17. Come back again for qualifying later today!

Albono rolls out to take the flag on used softs...

We're green again...

Alex slots in P7 with a 1:29.808, just before ZHO hits the barrier. Thankfully he's out of the car. Red Flag.

Ah yes, they're for Albono. He's opening a lap on new tyres now...

Back to the garage for Alex after climbing into the top 10. He's currently P8 following a 1:30.092...

Alex's best is a 1:30.542 so far, he's pushing again now...

Alex has rolled out on softs, opening his first lap of the day now...

All quiet from a Williams perspective, but Alex will be heading our imminently...

ICYMI

Here we go, FP3 is underway at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit...

It's Quali Day on the Red Sea coast, but first it's the small matter of FP3. Follow along for live coverage of Alex's progress...

That's Alex's Thursday complete! His best time came in the quali simulations, a 1:29.789 that places him P14... See you tomorrow for more from Jeddah 👋

Three more laps, three to go.

Last chance to gather representative data for the race...

So much understeer in the high speed.

After an out lap, Alex returns to the pits and switches to used hards...

Time for a chat with his engineers before heading back out again...

A 1:29.905 for Albono, he's winding up for another push now...

Soft tyre time! Albono is warming up for his first red-walled flying lap of the evening...

Alex is wheeled back into his bay following a consistent opening FP2 stint on the hards...

A 1:31.534 on Albono's second flying lap, the quickest of the three on hards...

In Qualifying, it will be wiser to go out early, like that, than it is to go out later...

And straight to work for Albono, he's left the garage on hard tyres...

Race Control will green light the circuit at 20:10 local, so just a few minutes left to wait...

Awaiting the all clear from Race Control to head out onto the track...

Data consumed, time for more practice!

The floodlights have taken full effect here in Jeddah, it's almost time for the only representative practice session of the weekend..

Alex's first hour behind the wheel this weekend is complete, ending the session in P10 with 26 laps to his name. A solid foundation to build on!

Alex is gathering some long run data as we fast approach the chequered flag for FP1...

As the sun heads for the horizon, Alex heads to the circuit on the medium tyre... he's P10.

Alex is back in the garage after his soft tyre stint. He's P9 with a best time of 1:30.747...

Alex sits P6 right now, still circulating on soft tyres...

Albono sets a 1:30.737 on his first run with soft tyres bolted to his car...

Alex's first stint of the weekend is complete and he's back in the garage. His best time of a 1:31.585 has him sitting in P10...

Albono jumps to P8 after his third push lap, a 1:31.941...

A 1:34.021 on Albono's first push lap, he's going again now...

Alex rolls out of the garage for his first laps of Jeddah in 2024, medium tyres fitted

The first hour of running in Jeddah is... go! The sun is shining here on the Red Sea coastline, so it makes it a pretty unrepresentative session...

FP1 is moments away, follow along for full updates on Albono's progress in Jeddah...