Piastri wins Saudi Arabia GP to take F1 championship lead

Oscar Piastri seized victory at the Formula 1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix to take the championship lead.

The McLaren driver secured his third win of the season, backing up his triumph in Bahrain last week.

Verstappen's race was compromised when he drove wide at Turn 2 while defending against Piastri's attack, earning a five-second penalty that effectively cost him the victory shot.

Charles Leclerc delivered another stellar performance for Ferrari, claiming third place and successfully defending against a late charge from the recovering Lando Norris, who had started 10th following his Saturday qualifying crash.

Turn 1 drama

The race's decisive moment came immediately at the start. Piastri launched brilliantly from second on the grid, forcing Verstappen to defend into Turn 1.

The reigning champion reacted by cutting across Turn 2 to maintain position, a move that drew an almost immediate penalty.

The safety car appeared by the end of lap one after Yuki Tsunoda and Pierre Gasly collided, with Gasly retiring instantly after losing most of his rear wing.

Tsunoda's race also ended despite limping back to the pits.

During this neutralization period, radio exchanges intensified as Piastri called for Verstappen to surrender the lead, while the Dutchman argued he was forced wide deliberately.

The stewards sided with McLaren's assessment.

Norris on different strategy

Norris, starting on hard tires, capitalized on the chaos to climb from 10th to eighth, then dispatched Carlos Sainz by lap seven.

His progression continued with calculating passes on Lewis Hamilton and Andrea Kimi Antonelli's Mercedes, reaching fifth by lap 19.

Piastri managed Verstappen's gap before pitting on lap 20, a slight delay costing the Australian a second in his box.

Verstappen responded two laps later but emerged from his stop three seconds behind, effectively handing Piastri the net lead after the penalty.

McLaren

McLaren emerged as the superior package in Jeddah. Piastri executed a textbook victory, maintaining composure from his brilliant start to his decisive move at Turn 1.

The Australian forced Verstappen's error that secured the penalty, demonstrating tactical maturity beyond his experience.

The MCL39 showed genuine pace advantage, though Norris again found himself in recovery mode after Saturday's qualifying mishap.

Despite climbing impressively from 10th to 4th with superior race pace, his championship lead slipped away – a costly reminder that title challenges demand consistency.

Red Bull

Red Bull remained competitive but vulnerable. Verstappen's strong qualifying position suggested potential victory, but the five-second penalty proved decisive.

The car appeared second-best to McLaren, with victory perhaps possible only with a clean race.

The team's struggle became evident as Verstappen couldn't build sufficient gap to nullify his penalty, highlighting their current performance deficit to McLaren.

Ferrari

Ferrari produced the race's standout individual performance through Leclerc.

The Monegasque driver maximized his race, extending his first stint expertly before overtaking Russell for third.

His defensive masterclass against Norris on aging tires showcased championship-caliber driving.

Hamilton showed adequate pace but couldn't match his teammate's brilliance, highlighting Leclerc's current form advantage.

Mercedes

Mercedes experienced a difficult evening. Russell's early promise evaporated in the second stint, unable to maintain third position despite starting well.

Antonelli delivered competent racing by keeping Hamilton behind, but neither Silver Arrow driver challenged the podium positions consistently.

The W15's race pace deficit appeared more pronounced than in Bahrain, leaving the team searching for answers.

This race crystallized the early championship hierarchy. McLaren leads with genuine pace and two strong drivers, though one prone to errors.

Red Bull follows closely but lacks its previous dominance.

Ferrari shows potential but needs both drivers performing consistently, while Mercedes searches for performance gains after disappointing race.