Jeddah, April 21: Australian driver Oscar Piastri claimed a commanding win at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix on Sunday, marking a crucial victory in the fifth round of the 2025 Formula One World Championship and snatching the top spot in the standings.
Driving for McLaren, the 23-year-old led from start to finish around the high-speed street circuit of Jeddah, completing the race in 1 hour, 21 minutes, and 06.758 seconds.
The result pushed Piastri’s season tally to 99 points, nine clear of his teammate Lando Norris.
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen finished 2.843 seconds behind in second place, with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc securing third, trailing the leader by 8.104 seconds.
It was a dream weekend for McLaren, with Norris also finishing strong in fourth place, just over nine seconds behind his teammate. Mercedes duo George Russell and rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli rounded out the top six, while Lewis Hamilton, now racing in Ferrari red, crossed the line in seventh.
Carlos Sainz Jr, now with Williams, managed eighth, while teammate Alex Albon took ninth. RB’s Isack Hadjar completed the points in tenth.
The race saw two retirements: Pierre Gasly of Alpine and Yuki Tsunoda of Red Bull, both failing to finish.
The updated championship standings now show Piastri leading the drivers’ table with 99 points, ahead of Norris (89) and Verstappen (87). In the constructors’ standings, McLaren extends its lead with 188 points, followed by Mercedes (111) and Red Bull (89).
The season continues to throw up surprises, with rising stars like Antonelli and Hadjar making strong impressions, while veterans like Fernando Alonso, currently scoreless, face mounting pressure.
With input from Agence France-Presse (AFP).
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