Piastri takes F1 title lead after Saudi Arabian Grand Prix

Post by : Omar Nasser

Photo : AP

Oscar Piastri secured his third victory of the season at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, taking the Formula One championship lead from his McLaren teammate Lando Norris. Piastri’s win at Jeddah's Corniche circuit marked a strong performance, as he finished 2.843 seconds ahead of Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, who started from pole position. Charles Leclerc took third, earning Ferrari’s first podium of the 2025 season.

Stay informed with the latest news. Follow DXB News Network on WhatsApp Channel  

Norris, who started the race in 10th position, fought his way back to finish in fourth place, but his progress was hindered by a crash in qualifying that compromised his race strategy.

Verstappen's race quickly took a turn when he and Piastri went side by side into the first corner at the start. The reigning champion ran wide to stay ahead of the Australian and, in the process, received a five-second penalty, which he served during his pit stop. Despite this setback, Verstappen managed to recover and finish in second place.

After the race, Piastri reflected on his victory, saying, "It was a pretty tough race. I’m very, very happy to have won. Made the difference at the start. Made my case into Turn One, and that was enough. Definitely one of the toughest races I've had in my career." The win in Saudi Arabia followed his success in Bahrain and China earlier this season, making him the first Australian driver to lead the championship since Mark Webber in 2010. He also became the first driver this year to win back-to-back races.

Piastri now leads the championship with 99 points, ahead of Norris on 89 points and Verstappen, who has 87. The McLaren team’s strong performances have also helped them extend their lead in the Constructors’ Championship, now 77 points ahead of Mercedes.

Despite his success, Piastri expressed that he is not overly concerned with leading the championship so early in the season. "I'm not bothered that I am leading the world championship, but I am proud of the hard work we have done to get here. I want to be leading the championship after round 24, not round five," he said.

Other notable finishers included George Russell in fifth for Mercedes, Kimi Antonelli of Italy in sixth, and seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton in seventh for Ferrari. Williams’ drivers Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon finished eighth and ninth, while Racing Bulls' French rookie Isack Hadjar rounded out the points-scoring positions in 10th.

This dramatic race showcased the competitive nature of the 2025 F1 season, with McLaren, Red Bull, and Ferrari all battling for top honors.

#trending #latest #OscarPiastri #SaudiArabianGP #F1Championship #FormulaOne #MaxVerstappen #LandoNorris #F1Race #McLaren #Ferrari #RedBull #F1Season2025 #F1Win #Motorsport #PiastriVictory #Verstappen #Leclerc #F1News #Racing #McLarenDominance #F1Driver #Formula1Updates #headlines #topstories #globalUpdate #dxbnewsnetwork #dxbnews #dxbdnn #dxbnewsnetworkdnn #bestnewschanneldubai #bestnewschannelUAE #bestnewschannelabudhabi #bestnewschannelajman #bestnewschannelofdubai #popularnewschanneldubai