2025 Formula 1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix Highlights

Introduction

Oscar Piastri has clinched his third victory of the season with a composed and commanding performance at the 2025 Formula 1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, seizing the lead in the Drivers’ Championship and making history as the first Australian to top the standings since Mark Webber in 2010.

Early Drama in Jeddah

The race at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit got off to a dramatic start as pole-sitter Max Verstappen and Piastri went wheel-to-wheel into Turn 1, with Verstappen controversially cutting the apex. Though the Dutchman initially retained the lead, he was later handed a five-second time penalty for the manoeuvre, which ultimately cost him dearly during his pit stop.

Strategic Masterclass from McLaren

While Piastri bided his time, teammate Lando Norris briefly inherited the lead by stretching his first stint on hard tyres following a crash in Saturday’s Qualifying. Once Norris boxed for mediums, Piastri reclaimed the lead and never looked back, cruising to the finish 2.8 seconds ahead of Verstappen’s Red Bull.

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc completed the podium in third, claiming his first top-three finish of the 2025 season.

Norris Charges Back, Mercedes Consistent

Despite a valiant chase for the podium, Norris had to settle for fourth. George Russell and rising star Kimi Antonelli brought home solid results for Mercedes in fifth and sixth, while Lewis Hamilton added more points to Ferrari’s campaign with a seventh-place finish.

Double Points for Williams

It was also a standout day for Williams, with Carlos Sainz finishing eighth – his best result yet for the Grove-based team – and Alex Albon securing ninth after fending off a spirited challenge from Racing Bulls rookie Isack Hadjar.

Further Down the Grid

• Fernando Alonso continued his point-less streak, finishing 11th for Aston Martin.

• Liam Lawson (P12) picked up a 10-second penalty for an off-track advantage in a scrap with Jack Doohan.

• The Haas duo of Ollie Bearman and Esteban Ocon came home 13th and 14th, respectively.

• Nico Hülkenberg (Kick Sauber), Lance Stroll (Aston Martin), Jack Doohan (Alpine), and Gabriel Bortoleto (Kick Sauber) rounded out the classified runners.

• Pierre Gasly and Yuki Tsunoda were the only retirees, both eliminated in a Lap 1 collision that triggered an early Safety Car.

A Historic Milestone for Piastri

With this victory, Oscar Piastri now leads the championship by 10 points over teammate Norris, marking a new chapter in the Australian’s already remarkable F1 journey. It’s also a proud moment for his manager, Mark Webber, who was the last Australian to lead the standings, exactly 15 years ago.

The 2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix met our pre-race expectations with regard to tyre performance and strategic outcomes. Despite introducing a softer trio of compounds compared to last year and facing higher track temperatures averaging 7°C, degradation on the C3 and C4 tyres remained remarkably low. This allowed the race to unfold naturally, showcasing the closely matched competitiveness among teams.

While there were isolated instances of blistering on the left front tyre, these did not significantly affect overall performance. Some cars experienced challenges with overheating, which was anticipated given the track’s demanding conditions where tyres have minimal opportunity to cool down.

As we take a moment to regroup, the next challenge awaits us on a different continent — the debut race of the season in Miami, USA. The upcoming circuit presents unique characteristics compared to Jeddah, with teams once again using the softer tyre compounds from this event. This race marks the second Sprint weekend of the year, adding an intriguing dynamic to how teams will strategise and adapt to the track’s demands.

The day on the track:

The grid saw a few unexpected choices, adding an element of intrigue to the race. Only four drivers (Norris, Stroll, Hadjar, and Hulkenberg) opted for the Hard for the first stint, while the remaining 16 went for the Medium. The element of surprise continued as three of these drivers (Doohan, Ocon and Bortoleto) seized the opportunity of the first lap Safety Car, a result of the collision between Gasly and Tsunoda, to switch to the Hard.

The strategies chosen matched our pre-race expectations regarding the number of stops and the timing of the pit stop windows. Of the top teams, the only ones that tried something different were Leclerc, who went as long as possible on his first stint on Mediums (lap 29), a strategy aimed at gaining track position, and Norris, who started on the Hard, pitting on lap 34, a strategy that allowed him to have a longer final stint. The longest stint of 49 laps was completed by Ocon (Haas), who stopped at the very beginning and then went to the chequered flag.

2025 Formula 1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix Race Results

2025 Constructor Standings

Here are the team-by-team highlights: