F1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix: Oscar Piastri Wins in Jeddah After Verstappen’s Penalty, Extends Championship Lead

Oscar Piastri claimed back-to-back wins in Saudi Arabia, extending his championship lead after capitalising on Max Verstappen’s penalty for a strong victory.

By Divyam Dubey

21 Apr, 2025

3 min read

Oscar Piastri claimed his third win of the 2025 season at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in Jeddah. He got off to a strong start and challenged Max Verstappen into the first corner. Verstappen cut the corner to defend his lead and received a five-second penalty from the stewards. After the pit stops, Piastri moved into the lead and stayed ahead for the rest of the race. The win puts him at the top of the F1 drivers' championship for the first time. Verstappen’s early penalty affected his race, as the time added during the pit stop dropped him behind Piastri. He pushed hard in the closing laps and narrowed the gap but finished second, 2.8 seconds behind. Despite the penalty, Verstappen remains in the title fight.

Also Read: F1 Bahrain Grand Prix: Oscar Piastri Wins Ahead of Russell; Norris Completes the Top Three

Charles Leclerc gave Ferrari its first podium of the season with a strong third-place finish. He managed his tyres well, staying out longer than others on medium tyres. Leclerc passed George Russell and later held off Lando Norris, who was closing in fast. The result helped Ferrari bounce back after a tough start to the season.

F1 McLaren Lando Norris.jpg

Lando Norris climbed from 10th to fourth with a well-planned race strategy. He started on hard tyres and extended his first stint. After switching to mediums, he gained ground quickly but could not pass Leclerc for the podium finish. McLaren collected strong points, with Norris now second in the drivers' standings, 10 points behind teammate Piastri.

Pos	Driver	Team	Time
1	Oscar Piastri	McLaren	50 Laps
2	Max Verstappen	Red Bull Racing	+2.843s
3	Charles Leclerc	Ferrari	+8.104s
4	Lando Norris	McLaren	+9.196s
5	George Russell	Mercedes	+27.236s
6	Kimi Antonelli	Mercedes	+34.688s
7	Lewis Hamilton	Ferrari	+39.073s
8	Carlos Sainz	Williams	+64.630s
9	Alex Albon	Williams	+66.515s
10	Isack Hadjar	Racing Bulls	+67.091s
11	Fernando Alonso	Aston Martin	+75.917s
12	Liam Lawson	Racing Bulls	+78.451s
13	Oliver Bearman	Haas	+79.194s
14	Esteban Ocon	Haas	+99.491s
15	Nico Hulkenberg	Sauber	+1 Lap
16	Lance Stroll	Aston Martin	+1 Lap
17	Jack Doohan	Alpine	+1 Lap
18	Gabriel Bortoleto	Sauber	+1 Lap
19	Yuki Tsunoda	Red Bull Racing	DNF
20	Pierre Gasly	Alpine	DNF

George Russell struggled with tyre wear and dropped to fifth. Kimi Antonelli impressed with a sixth-place finish, beating Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton. Carlos Sainz came eighth, while Alex Albon and rookie Isack Hadjar took ninth and tenth, respectively. Fernando Alonso finished 11th and missed out on points again.

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The race began with drama as Pierre Gasly and Yuki Tsunoda collided, bringing out the Safety Car. At the front, Piastri’s win gave him a 10-point lead over Norris, with Verstappen close behind in third. McLaren now leads the early title race in both drivers' and constructors' championships, making 2025 a season to watch.