F1 Saudi Arabia GP 2025: Piastri proves his championship credentials on fast streets of Jeddah

Oscar Piastri left the shores of his native land after the season-opening Australian Grand Prix, still unable to break the Albert Park curse – no Aussie driver has officially scored a podium at his home race.

A ninth-place finish gave him just two points, putting him at a disadvantage against fellow Drivers’ Championship hopefuls Lando Norris and Max Verstappen.

In the five weeks since then, the young driver from Down Under has won three of the next four races, including a serene victory at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, becoming the first Aussie to lead the championship since Mark Webber in 2010.

The fifth round of the 2025 F1 season coincided with the fifth Saudi Arabian Grand Prix at the Jeddah Corniche street track. A controversial five-second penalty to defending champion and pole-sitter Max Verstappen eventually tilted the race in Piastri’s favour.

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The McLaren looked in a league of its own during the final Free Practice session on Saturday, but as temperatures dipped after nightfall, Verstappen delivered when it counted – beating Piastri’s lap by just one-hundredth of a second in qualifying.

The Moves That Mattered

At the start of the race, Piastri got off the line quicker from the inside of the grid. Verstappen, on the back foot into Turn 1, held firm on the outside and cut across the chicane to stay ahead.

The Red Bull driver argued he had no room to make the corner, but stewards disagreed, handing him a five-second penalty which he served during his pit stop.

Verstappen ultimately finished 2.843 seconds behind Piastri after 50 laps on the 6.174 km circuit – a result that might have flipped had the penalty not been imposed.

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc earned his first podium of the season, rewarded for his tyre management. Lacking the outright pace to fight the leaders, he stretched his medium tyre stint until lap 29 – long after rubber marks had settled into the asphalt.

An aggressive push on hards in the second stint allowed him to edge out Mercedes’ George Russell and stay ahead of a flying Norris, who climbed from 10th to fourth on a hard-to-medium strategy.

Norris salvaged 12 points after a brush with the wall in Q3 cut short his qualifying session and dashed hopes of a front-row start.

Kimi Antonelli and Lewis Hamilton had uneventful runs to sixth and seventh, finishing ahead of the two Williams cars and Racing Bulls driver Isack Hadjar.

Aston Martin, Haas, Alpine, and Kick Sauber left Jeddah empty-handed, with neither driver from these teams cracking the Top 10.

Vying for the Big League

In Formula Two, MP Motorsport’s Richard Verschoor executed the alternate strategy to perfection, finishing ahead of pole-sitter Jack Crawford and ART’s Victor Martins.

The win vaulted Verschoor past fifth-placed Jose Maria Marti into the lead of the F2 Drivers’ Championship.

Rookies Leonardo Fornaroli and Alexander Dunne continued their consistent runs, placing fourth and eighth respectively.

Arvid Lindblad followed up his sprint race win with a seventh-place finish, leaving Jeddah with a strong points haul. Indian racer Kush Maini finally opened his account for the season after two tough weekends.

In the F1 Academy, Ferrari’s Maya Weug inherited the win in Race 2 following a penalty to Red Bull Ford’s Chloe Chambers, adding to her second-place finish in Race 1.

The Spectacle in Corniche

The absence of high-drama crashes or a late Safety Car meant the race played out mostly through pit strategies. But off-track, the organisers delivered a strong entertainment package.

Jeddah’s night race brought more than just the glow of floodlights – fans enjoyed DJ sets, a Ferris wheel, fireworks, and a striking drone show.

The light show featured animated tributes to icons: a 1970s F1 car for Niki Lauda, Ayrton Senna’s iconic yellow helmet, and seven trophies symbolising Michael Schumacher’s titles.

The circuit remained busy throughout the weekend, with visitors enjoying concerts, paddock access, garage tours, pit walks, and rides on truck platforms.

The premium hospitality area overlooking Turn 1 – the track’s best overtaking spot – was the place to be. From there, fans could also see Turns 22 and 23, adjacent to the Al-Bahr Mosque, where drivers flick their cars through at high speed with only a slight brake tap.

While talks continue about building a permanent circuit on the Red Sea coast, the Corniche layout continues to challenge drivers and thrill fans alike.