Ferrari were unable to complete their crucial pre-race long-runs during Friday's second practice session in Jeddah due to tame crashes for Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc, the team have confirmed. The two drivers made contact with the wall at Jeddah's Corniche Circuit within moments of each other in FP2, resulting in the pair needing to limp back to the pit lane to park their cars. Leclerc completed only 15 laps during the hour-long evening session, while Sainz managed just 12 laps, before their returns to the garage. And that has left the team behind on their practice programme, all while rivals Red Bull managed to fine-tune their long-run pace with a full hour on track during FP2, ahead of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
Leclerc: It was a mistake but I have lost no confidence
Speaking following a meeting with the barrier that saw damage to his suspension, Leclerc said: "It was an unfortunate end to an otherwise good day. "In FP2 it was a small mistake, but not one that makes me lose confidence. I expected the front to slide around more and I clipped the inside wall at Turn 4. "Focusing on tomorrow, I think the pace is there. It's a bit of a shame we couldn't get the high fuel laps done, but we should be in the mix for tomorrow." The Monegasque driver will head into Sunday's race leading the F1 World Drivers' Championship.
Sainz says Ferrari have seen porpoising problems return
Sainz's crash, meanwhile, was far lighter than Leclerc's, but the outcome was the same, with the Spaniard forced to retire his car early. Ferrari also saw the return of porpoising during Friday practice, a problem they looked to have escaped following a bouncy shakedown in Barcelona. "Porpoising was a bit of an issue at a certain point, but I'm not concerned," explained Sainz. "Unfortunately, we didn't do the long run at the end of FP2 after I brushed the wall and we had to stay in the garage." He added: "We'll see what tomorrow brings."
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