Oscar Piastri holds off penalty-hit Verstappen to win Saudi Arabian Grand Prix

JEDDAH: Oscar Piastri claimed victory at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix on April 21, 2025, securing his third win of the season and taking the lead in the Formula One world championship from McLaren teammate Lando Norris.

The race began dramatically and was soon marred by controversy as Verstappen and Piastri went wheel-to-wheel into the start, with the Red Bull driver running wide and retaining the lead.

The Dutchman was handed a five-second penalty after stewards ruled him at fault for a first-corner collision with Piastri.

The win makes Piastri — who also triumphed in Bahrain last weekend and China last month — the first Australian to lead the championship since his manager, Mark Webber, in 2010.

He also became the first driver this season to secure back-to-back victories.

Oscar Piastri now holds a 10-point advantage over Norris, whose race was hampered by a crash in qualifying.

The Australian leads the standings with 99 points, ahead of Norris (89) and Verstappen (87).

McLaren, meanwhile, extended their lead over Mercedes in the constructors’ championship to 77 points.

Red Bull’s four-time champion Max Verstappen finished 2.843 seconds behind the Australian, despite starting from pole position at Jeddah’s Circuit.

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc secured the podium by finishing third, marking the Italian team’s first top-three finish of the season, while Norris fought through the field from 10th on the grid to take fourth.

George Russell finished fifth for Mercedes, followed by teammate Kimi Antonelli in sixth.

Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton took seventh for Ferrari, while Williams’ Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon crossed the line eighth and ninth.

Racing Bulls’ French rookie Isack Hadjar rounded out the points in 10th.

During the race, Piastri protested to Verstappen over the team’s radio, "He needs to give that back—I was ahead, he was never going to make that corner regardless."

However, Verstappen defended himself and saw it differently, telling his teammates, "He forced me off, there was no way he was making that turn."