Alonso fastest in Saudi Arabian GP second practice

Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso set the pace from Mercedes' George Russell and Red Bull's Max Verstappen in Saudi Arabian Grand Prix practice.

Alonso was 0.230 seconds ahead of Russell and 0.331 seconds quicker than the man who ran away with the first race of the season last weekend in Bahrain.

Ferrari's Charles Leclerc was fourth fastest, 0.353secs slower than Alonso.

Lewis Hamilton was only eighth, 0.296secs off team-mate Russell.

The seven-time champion was also behind Red Bull's Sergio Perez, the second Aston Martin of Lance Stroll and Carlos Sainz's Ferrari.

Alpine's Pierre Gasly and McLaren's Oscar Piastri completed the top 10.

There were no major incidents in the session, but a series of drivers had problems with impeding, caused by the walls lining the track which reduce visibility, and the way the track contains many sections where it swerves left and right at high speed.

Verstappen might not have been fastest over one lap, but the Red Bull's pace on a long run was as strong as ever.

The three-time champion was comfortably quickest on the race-simulation runs towards the end of the session, when drivers fill up their cars with fuel.

Russell was next quickest, with the proviso that he started his run late and did far fewer laps than Verstappen's team-mate Perez.

More to follow.