Race Notes - Piastri wins over Verstappen

By Mark Karp

Oscar Piastri won the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in his McLaren-Mercedes 2.843 seconds ahead of Max Verstappen in his Red Bull-Honda.

Charles Leclerc took Ferrari's first podium of the season, and his 44th career podium in third place - 8.104 seconds behind the winner.

Piastri overtakes his McLaren team mate Norris in the Drivers Championship, the first Australian to lead the Championship since Mark Webber 15 years ago.

Piastri's win is his third win of the season, and fourth for McLaren in 2025. The win is Piastri’s fifth career win.

Lando Norris (9.196s) in the second McLaren was fourth, followed by Georg Russell (27.236s) in the Mercedes GP was fifth, his team mate Kimi Antonelli (34.688s) was sixth, Lewis Hamilton (39.073s) in the second Ferrari was seventh, Carlos Sainz (1m04.630s) in the Williams-Mercedes was eighth, with his team mate Alex Albon (1m06.515s) was ninth, and Isack Hadjar (1m07.091s) in the Racing Bulls-Honda took the final points position in tenth place.

The sun was down as the start time for the Saudi Arabian GP, Verstappen on pole with Piastri alongside on the front row, Russell and Leclerc on row 2, Antonelli and Sainz on row 3, Hamilton and Tsunoda on row 4 and Gasly and Norris rounding out the top ten.

It is expected for a one-stop strategy. The top ten starting on mediums, except for Norris in tenth on hard tyres.

At the appointed time the drivers took to the formation lap, the grid formed, the lights went out and the race began with Verstappen gets off, Piastri goes side-by-side, but Verstappen cuts across the inside of the corner and keeps the lead. Tsunoda and Gasly tpuch and end up in the wall. The Safety Car is out.

Verstappen leads Piastri, Russell, Leclerc, Antonelli, Hamilton, Sainz, Norris, Albon, and Alonso in tenth.

The stewards are looking at the incident the Verstappen and Piasti

At the start of lap 3 the race restarts with the order the same. Verstappen is handed a 5-second time penalty.

On lap 5 Hadjar passes Alonso for tenth.

On lap 5 Piastri sets fast lap at 1m33.418s.

Piastri is within DRS of Verstappen.

On lap 7 Norris passes Sainz for seventh.

At lap 10 Verstappen leads Piastri by 0.9 seconds, followed by Russell (3.7s), Leclerc (6.4s), Antonelli (8.2s), Hamilton (9.8s), Norris (11.1s), Sainz (13.3s), Albon (14.9s), and Hadjar (16.2s) in tenth.

On lap 12 Norris passes Hamilton, but Hamilton comes back and reposes Norris.

On lap 14 Norris passes Hamilton again, and Hamilton does the repossess again.

The next lap Norris doesn't overtake into the final corner and passes Hamilton down the next straight in the DRS zone for sixth place.

Hamilton complains that his tyres are sliding around a lot.

On lap 19 Norris passes Antonelli for fifth place. Bearman pits.

On lap 20 Piastri pits from second, and changes to hard tyres and rejoins sixth behind Hamilton.

On lap 21 Russell pits for hards and rejoins seventh.

Piastri passes Hamilton for fourth.

On lap 22 Verstappen pits from the lead for hard tyres and rejoins in fifth behind Hamilton.

Leclerc leads.

On lap 24 Hamilton pits and changes to hard tyres and rejoins eighth.

Piastri set fast.lap at 1m33.119s.

At lap 25 Leclerc leads Norris by 3.4 seconds, followed by Piastri (8.7s), Verstappen (13.0s), Russell (17.1s), Hadjar (25.8s), Antonelli (27.6s), Hamilton (35.7a), Stroll (41.1s), and Hulkenberg (43.7s) in tenth place.

On lap 29 Sainz passes Hulkenberg for tenth.

Albon passes Hulkenberg for 11th.

Lawson passes Doohan for 14th.

On lap 30 Leclerc pit from the lead for hard tyres and rejoins fifth.

Norris leads Piastri by 3.1 seconds, Verstappen trails the leader by 8.0 seconds.

On lap 31 Sainz passes Stroll for ninth.

Leclerc sets fast lap at 1m32.441s and again on the next lap at 1m32.431s.

Albon passes Stroll for tenth.

On lap 35 Norris pits from the lead for medium tyres and rejoins fifth. Hadjar pits.

Leclerc 132.390

At lap 35 Piastri leads Verstappen by 4.4 seconds, followed by (11.0s), Leclerc (12.1s), Norris (17.7s), Antonelli (29.6s), Hamilton (36.2s), Sainz (50.6s), Albon (52.5s), and Hadjar (54.6s) in tenth place.

On lap 38 Leclerc passes Russell for third place.

Lawson is given a 10-second penalty for gaining an advantage.

On lap 39 Alonso passes Stroll for 12th.

On lap 41 Norris passes Russell for fourth place.

Norrris sets fast lap at 1m31.778a.

Russell is worried about his tyres lasting.

At the chequred flag Piastri wins over Verstappen and Leclerc.