Australian Oscar Piastri won the Saudi Arabian Formula 1 Grand Prix this Sunday. His third victory in five races allows him to take sole possession of the lead in the overall standings, ahead of Max Verstappen and his McLaren teammate, Lando Norris.
Verstappen penalized
Starting from the second row, Piastri managed his start well before capitalizing on a mistake by Verstappen, who was penalized five seconds for cutting a chicane. McLaren, with impeccable strategy, chose the perfect undercut to allow its driver to take the lead after the pit stops. A position Piastri never relinquished, resisting the pressure from the reigning world champion.
Verstappen, despite dominating in qualifying, was only able to limit the damage with a second-place finish. Charles Leclerc completed the podium, giving Ferrari an encouraging result.
Behind, Lando Norris set the fastest lap of the race and took fourth place, ahead of the Mercedes drivers George Russell and young rookie Kimi Antonelli, who impressed once again. Lewis Hamilton, now with Ferrari, finished seventh after a quiet race. Carlos Sainz, Alexander Albon and Isack Hadjar completed the top 10.
Pierre Gasly retires on the first lap
The start was marked by a collision involving Yuki Tsunoda and Pierre Gasly, who were forced to retire on the first lap, prompting the rapid intervention of the safety car.
With this performance, Piastri becomes the first Australian to lead the championship since Mark Webber in 2010. The young McLaren driver thus confirms his status as a serious contender for the world title this season.
Next meeting in two weeks at Imola…
