2025 Formula 1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix Highlights

Oracle Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen overcame a controversial five-second penalty to secure P2 at the 2025 Formula 1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, finishing comfortably ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc. Despite a late charge, the Dutchman couldn’t quite catch Oscar Piastri’s McLaren, running out of laps in a thrilling finale.

The four-time world champion now trails Lando Norris by just two points and Oscar Piastri by 12 in the 2025 Drivers’ Championship standings. 💥

Meanwhile, teammate Yuki Tsunoda suffered a disappointing DNF after an early race incident.

Max Verstappen, Driver, Red Bull Racing

We were unfortunate about the penalty, but the car was strong. We improved a lot after Friday’s tyre management issues, and I was positively surprised by our pace on the mediums. Pulling away from the cars behind was encouraging. The hards took longer to feel right due to some understeer, but finishing close behind Oscar was a solid result.

After a tough Bahrain, this was the kind of weekend we needed. There’s still work to do, especially on high-deg tracks, but this race shows we’re heading in the right direction.

Yuki Tsunoda, Driver, Red Bull Racing

I was fully in control until the incident. Carlos was just in front of me, and the contact happened at the tightest corner on the circuit. I had rear wing damage and couldn’t continue safely.

It’s especially frustrating to collide with Pierre—we’re friends and both racing hard for points. Still, I’m proud of getting into Q3 again, and my confidence is growing. I’ll bounce back stronger in Miami.

CHRISTIAN HORNER, CEO and Team Principal

Congratulations to Oscar on the win. Honestly, I believe we had the race in the bag without that five-second penalty. Max drove superbly, especially on the medium stint where we had the edge.

The stewards’ decision was harsh—Max was clearly ahead on Lap 1 in our view—but we chose to take it on the chin and keep pushing.

As for Yuki, it’s a real shame. He had a strong pace and was on track to score valuable points. We’re only 12 points off the lead in the championship, and that’s encouraging as we head to Miami.

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