2025 Formula 1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix Highlights

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:

Hear from McLaren Formula 1 drivers Lando Norris, Oscar Piastri, and Team Principal Andrea Stella after the 2025 Formula 1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

It was fireworks from the very first lights-out in Jeddah! Oscar Piastri and Max Verstappen went wheel-to-wheel for P1 off the line, setting the tone for a thrilling race—until a dramatic Lap 1 incident brought out an early Safety Car.

Lando Norris wasted no time, jumping two spots to P8 by Lap 2. After the restart, Verstappen was handed a five-second penalty for gaining an advantage off-track, reshuffling the order up front. Lando went on the charge, overtaking Sainz for P7, Hamilton for P6, and Antonelli for P5. 🔥

Oscar boxed for Hards on Lap 20, rejoining in P6, and swiftly reclaimed P4 by passing Hamilton again. As the pit stops cycled through, Lando surged up to P2 and Oscar slotted into P3. When Leclerc finally pitted, Lando took the lead, and Oscar moved up to P2.

Lando made his final stop on Lap 35 for fresh Mediums, rejoining in P5 and muscling past Russell to retake P4. Meanwhile, Oscar Piastri stormed to his—and our—first-ever win at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix! 🏆 Lando’s P4 finish sealed a brilliant weekend for the team.

Lando Norris, Driver, McLaren Racing

Solid day, strong comeback. Huge congrats to Oscar and the whole team—it’s a brilliant result.
We made the most of our strategy and gained key positions. Shame to miss out on the podium, but I’m proud of the fightback. Now it’s time to reset and get ready for the next round.

Oscar Piastri, Driver, McLaren Racing

I was thrilled to have won—what a race! We’ve put a lot of work into our starts lately, and it really paid off today. Tyre management was tricky at times, but once we hit clean air, the pace came alive. Massive thanks to the team for executing the strategy perfectly.

We’re right in the mix now. It’s been a fantastic weekend, and we’ll keep pushing hard before we hit Miami.

Andrea Stella, Team Principal, McLaren Racing

We close this triple header with another win for Oscar and a powerful recovery from Lando. Huge thanks to the entire team here at the track, back at Woking, and our partners at HPP—this result is a testament to everyone’s dedication.
Oscar delivered a composed and intelligent drive, converting his front-row start into a well-earned win. Lando showed great spirit after a tough Quali, battling back for valuable points.

We regroup now; then all eyes are on Miami. This season is shaping up to be a real battle—and we’re in it.

The 2025 Saudi Arabian GP proved to be a demanding test for the team, but George Russell and Kimi Antonelli delivered a double-points finish, crossing the line in P5 and P6, respectively.

Both drivers started strong, with George lining up P3 and Kimi P5, running the optimal Medium-Hard one-stop strategy. They maintained their positions early on, but it soon became clear that tyre overheating would be the story of the night.

On an offset Hard-Medium strategy, Lando Norris managed to overtake Kimi just before the pit window. Kimi boxed on lap 19, with George following on lap 20, covering off an undercut attempt from Charles Leclerc. However, Ferrari’s decision to extend Leclerc’s Medium stint gave him a significant tyre-age advantage. Once he switched to Hards, there was little George could do to hold back the charge from either Leclerc or Norris.

George brought the car home in P5, extracting the maximum possible on a day where outright pace wasn’t in the car. Kimi, meanwhile, delivered a composed second stint and held off a hard-charging Lewis Hamilton to secure P6 — a mature drive under pressure.

Despite the tyre issues, the team leaves Jeddah on a positive trajectory. With 111 points in the Constructors’ Championship, we’ve more than doubled our tally compared to this stage in 2024 (52 points after five rounds). 💪

Next up: Miami. 🌴 Back to base for two weeks of analysis, recovery, and upgrades.

George Russell, Driver, Mercedes-AMG F1 Team

Tonight was all about managing tyres, and unfortunately, ours were suffering from overheating. I tried to hang with Max in the second stint, but it was about survival once the tyres dropped off. P5 was the most we could do today. We’ll take the lessons and come back stronger.

Kimi Antonelli, Driver, Mercedes-AMG F1 Team

A tough but rewarding race. I struggled with understeer early on, but the Hard tyre brought better pace. I’m happy with P6, especially holding off Lewis at the end. Lots learned again today — now time to reset and focus on Miami.

Toto Wolff, Team Principal & CEO

That was our weakest performance this season. We were aiming for the podium, but overheating tyres held us back. Still, both drivers delivered under pressure, and we’ve kept our position in the championship battle. We’ll work hard to ensure we’re more competitive in Miami — another high-temp circuit.

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.

Charles Leclerc delivered a determined and tactically sharp drive to claim his first podium finish of the season, securing third place at the 2025 Formula 1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in Jeddah. It marked a milestone for both the driver—his 44th career podium—and the team, as Scuderia Ferrari HP celebrated its 830th podium in F1 history.

Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton brought his SF-25 home in seventh place, rounding off a race where strategy, race pace, and pit crew performance once again showcased Ferrari’s upward trajectory. For the second race in a row, the team scored more points than any other, a strong sign of the progress being made in both Maranello and trackside operations.

At the lights out, Charles held onto fourth, while Lewis made a quick move on Carlos Sainz (Williams) to slot into sixth. By lap 12, Hamilton had to concede to Lando Norris, slipping back to seventh.

While Lewis opted for an early switch to Hards on lap 21, rejoining in P8, Charles stretched his Medium tyre stint brilliantly, leading the race by lap 29. That strategy paid dividends, creating a valuable nine-lap advantage over George Russell on the same compound.

Leclerc then executed a clean and decisive move on Russell at Turn 1 on lap 38, reclaiming third place with authority. From there, he managed the race under pressure from Norris, using the strong pace of the SF-25 to pick through backmarkers and maintain his podium position to the finish.

Charles Leclerc, Driver, Scuderia Ferrari

Our team’s dedication was evident this weekend. We executed the race perfectly in terms of strategy and the pit stop. The hard work of our mechanics has brought us to this level, and I couldn’t be prouder of our team’s performance today. We truly made the most of it.

Looking ahead, our focus is on qualifying. While sector one was our main weakness in qualifying here, it turned out to be our best sector in the race. This shows that we are capable of improvement, and we will work on finding the right balance to make another step forward.

Lewis Hamilton, Driver, Scuderia Ferrari

It was a challenging weekend with a lack of pace and consistency across the three days. The start of the Grand Prix was solid, but I had to manage the front tyres in the first stint. The second half improved, closing the gap to Kimi (Antonelli).

I’m focused on working with the team and seeing what we can bring to Miami. Huge congratulations to Charles and the team for a well-deserved podium.

Frédéric Vasseur – Team Principal, Scuderia Ferrari

It was a good race, especially with Charles, who took a well-deserved third place. Initially, he was a bit conservative since he was in dirty air, and our strategy was to extend the stint. His management was excellent, and he was able to increase his pace from lap 10 onwards, doing a fantastic job, especially when he was in free air. In some parts of the race, he was even faster than Piastri and Verstappen, and this proves we are improving, at least in race trim, while we need to keep working on our form in qualifying.

Lewis struggled more with his pace and was not helped because he was often in dirty air. We need to stay focused and work flat out, and I’m sure the results will come. From tomorrow, we will start preparing for Miami and continue to deal with this season race by race. Focusing on ourselves. It’s the same approach and attitude we had last year, and we plan to stick with it.

Under the bright lights of Jeddah Corniche Circuit, Aston Martin’s duo had strong starts. Beginning on the Medium tyre, Fernando entered the top 10 after starting from P13, while Lance on the Hard compound gained two positions.

Nineteen laps into the race, Fernando pitted from P12 for Hards. On this tyre, he made a number of overtakes throughout the duration of the Grand Prix.

By Lap 39, Lance still hadn’t pitted. With Fernando running behind him in P13, the team chose to switch the positions of our drivers ahead of Lance’s pit.

Lance was the final driver to make his pitstop. He came in at the end of Lap 40 for Medium tyres.

Fernando Alonso, Driver, Aston Martin F1 Team

Fernando Alonso described the race as demanding, akin to “50 Qualifying laps.” Despite the effort, points eluded him: “We focused on staying within DRS range of our rivals and capitalised on their mistakes where possible.”

Alonso remained resolute: “Improvements to the car are necessary, and we’re all committed to elevating our performance. With Miami on the horizon, our determination remains unwavering.”

Lance Stroll, Driver, Aston Martin F1 Team

Lance Stroll reflected on a challenging race starting from P16, emphasising the team’s strategic gamble: “We opted for a longer first stint, hoping for a Safety Car opportunity, but unfortunately, it didn’t play out in our favour. Despite this, we took our chances to gain positions, knowing we had nothing to lose.”

Acknowledging room for improvement, Stroll remained optimistic: “We’re still far from our desired competitive position. We’re relentlessly pushing to enhance our performance, especially as the season progresses.”

Andy Cowell, CEO & Team Principal, Aston Martin F1 Team

Reflecting on a race where strategies diverged, Andy Cowell praised the drivers’ relentless effort: “Both Fernando and Lance executed their respective strategies well tonight. Fernando’s start on Mediums and Lance’s extended stint on Hards showcased our adaptability.”

Cowell emphasised the race’s intensity in challenging conditions: “It was a flat-out, demanding race under hot temperatures, which tested all drivers to their limits. While points narrowly slipped away, it was a well-managed effort overall.”

Looking ahead, Cowell highlighted the team’s focus on improvement: “Following an intense triple-header, we’ll regroup to refine every aspect and unlock greater performance from the car.”

Visa Cash App Racing Bulls’ Isack Hadjar continued his impressive start to life in F1 as the rookie finished in 10th place at the 2025 Formula 1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. Teammate Liam Lawson was two places further back in 12th.

Liam Lawson, Driver, VCARB F1 Team

Today was tough, and while we had a very good pace throughout the race, we spent the majority of it with traffic, no matter what we did. The penalty obviously didn’t help, and it’s a shame, as this weekend has been the most comfortable I’ve felt in the car. We’re doing all the right things, and it all needs to come together now to get some points. Isack made the most of his clean first stint, and it’s great for the team to grab another point this weekend. It’s very close in the midfield at the moment, and we’ll try to work on improving this for Miami. It’s a track I haven’t driven but am excited for. We’ll keep pushing.

Isack Hadjar, Driver, VCARB F1 Team

It was a solid race for us, and I am really happy. We had a good start this time, the strategy was good, and that was the goal. We were on the alternative strategy with the aim to extend, and that is what we did. I didn’t know points were possible, but we had a really good pace and we managed to do it. The two Williams were ahead of me after the pit stop, and then they played the team game. Alex didn’t make any mistakes, and if they had not been teammates, we could have finished P8. It was definitely challenging, and I struggled. Even though we made a few mistakes, it was a well-executed race; it’s the racing I want to do. We will go away and find out why our Qualifying pace wasn’t strong. Miami is going to be interesting as it’s a sprint weekend, with only one session before sprint Qualifying, I believe we can do it.

Laurent Mekies, Team Principal, VCARB F1 Team

The 2025 Formula 1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix saw the MoneyGram Haas F1 Team finish with Oliver Bearman in 13th and Esteban Ocon in 14th, after a tactical race under the Jeddah lights at the high-speed Corniche Circuit on Sunday evening.

Esteban Ocon, Driver, Haas F1 Team

Ayao Komatsu, Team Principal, Haas F1 Team

Atlassian Williams Racing secured its second double points finish of the season at the 2025 Formula 1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, with Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon bringing it home in P8 and P9, respectively. 🙌🔵⚪️

The race began with high drama as Yuki Tsunoda and Pierre Gasly tangled on the opening lap, prompting an early Safety Car deployment. Carlos and Alex navigated the incident cleanly, avoiding the chaos and maintaining strong positions as the pack reset.

Once the action resumed, both drivers settled into a confident rhythm on the high-speed Jeddah Corniche Circuit, firmly holding their spots in the top 10. Lando Norris managed to pass Carlos on Lap 7, but that would be the only position lost for the team after the Safety Car.

Strategically, the team executed a one-stop plan, starting both cars on the Medium compound before switching to Hards just before the halfway mark—perfectly timed and expertly managed. 🛞📈

Alex Albon, Driver, Williams Racing

Carlos Sainz, Driver, Williams Racing

The Alpine Formula 1 Team faced a challenging race at the 2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. Pierre Gasly, starting from P9 on fresh Medium tires, was unable to finish the race due to an early DNF. Meanwhile, Jack Doohan, starting from P17 on New Mediums, was able to maintain his position throughout the race, ultimately finishing in P17. He made two pit stops: one on Lap 1 to switch to New Hards and another on Lap 32 for another set of New Hards. Despite the team’s struggles, Doohan posted a fastest lap time of 1min 33.150secs.

Jack Doohan, Driver, Alpine F1 Team

Today was tough, and we faced a number of challenges throughout the race that made it hard to move forward. We went for a bold strategy, pitting for Hard tyres under the Safety Car on Lap 1, hoping to stay out till the end. The car felt good in the corners, but we couldn’t overtake the cars ahead. After we backed off to regroup, those behind us caught up once they pitted for fresh tyres. Ultimately, the one-stop strategy didn’t work out, and we pitted again to make it to the finish. We have a week off now to rest, debrief, and prepare for Miami. Time in the simulator with the engineers will help us unlock more potential from the car.

Pierre Gasly, Driver, Alpine F1 Team

It’s never a nice feeling to end the race on Lap 1 after an incident. It’s been a while since I’ve faced a situation like this, and it’s a disappointing one for all of us at the team. I had a good line into Turn 4, I was aware that Yuki [Tsunoda] was there on the inside, and I left enough space while keeping the car inside the white lines. It’s an unfortunate outcome with the contact, but that’s racing – sometimes it just goes like that. The positives? We know this track isn’t our strongest, yet we stayed competitive and in the mix for points. That gives us a lot of confidence to build on going into the next few races.

Oliver Oakes, Team Principal, Alpine F1 Team

It’s disappointing to leave Jeddah without points, especially after Pierre’s first-lap incident, as he had shown great pace all weekend. We took a gamble on Jack’s strategy with the Safety Car, hoping to go long on the Hard tyres. Unfortunately, the pace wasn’t there, and it made for a challenging race. But there are positives – securing our first points this season and seeing encouraging car performance throughout the weekend. We have a lot to build on, and we’re already focused on the next race in Miami.

The 2025 Formula 1 Saudi Arabian GP saw KICK Sauber face a demanding race weekend in Jeddah, but despite limited rewards, the team’s performance showed solid execution. The team initially split strategies, pitting Gabriel under the early Safety Car for a long 48-lap stint on hard tyres. Nico Hulkenberg made the most of the package with a well-executed pit stop, pushing through for a P15 finish.

Although the final positions, P15 for Nico and P18 for Gabriel, didn’t reflect the effort across the garage, the team left Saudi Arabia with valuable data to inform the development path of the C45. After a demanding triple-header between Japan, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia, the team is recharging and focusing on returning stronger, setting sights on the Miami GP in just two weeks. 🌴🇺🇸

Nico Hulkenberg, Driver, Kick Sauber F1 Team

This was the most demanding race of the season so far. It was a clean and uneventful Sunday – no yellow flags after lap 1. We simply didn’t have the pace to challenge for points. The car’s balance wasn’t ideal, leading to increased tyre wear. We have work to do, but on the positive side, we had a clean race on this challenging street circuit and collected plenty of data for analysis. After such an intense start to the season, it’s good for the team to have a short break before we reset and return to Miami. 🏁

Gabriel Bortoleto, Driver, Kick Sauber F1 Team

This weekend has been a big learning experience – from preparation to managing setbacks and understanding the importance of every session. It’s been tough, but I’ve taken a lot from it. The race was frustrating; we switched to hard tyres during the Safety Car, but they were worn out by the final 15 laps. I was just focused on bringing the car home. Now it’s time to rest, recover, and reset. Thanks to the team, trackside and at the factory, for their unwavering support. I’ll take the lessons and head to Miami ready to fight and make the most of everything I’ve learned in my first five races. 💪

Jonathan Wheatley, Team Principal, Kick Sauber F1 Team

It was another long, hard weekend for the team. We started the race with drivers on different strategies. We pitted Gabriel under lap 1 Safety Car, and he drove a 48-lap stint on hard tyres, delivering exactly what we asked. Unfortunately, he couldn’t hold off Doohan at the end. For Nico, we got the most out of the package today with a P15 finish. We leave this weekend with no damage, an excellent pit stop for Nico, and valuable data to steer the development of the C45. After a gruelling triple-header, we will regroup, refocus, and get ourselves in the best shape for Miami in two weeks. 🔧📊