McLaren's Australian driver Oscar Piastri crosses the finish line to win the 2025 Saudi Arabia Formula One Grand Prix at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit on April 20, 2025. (Photo by Thaier Al Sudani / POOL / AFP)
Jeddah: McLaren's Oscar Piastri won the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix on Sunday from Red Bull polesitter Max Verstappen to lead the world championship for the first time in his career.
Charles Leclerc's Ferrari completed the podium for this fifth round of the season under the floodlights at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit.
From left: McLaren's driver Oscar Piastri of Australia, Red Bull's driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands and Mercedes's driver George Russell of Britain after the Qualifying session of the Formula One Saudi Arabia Grand Prix at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on April 19, 2025. (Photo by Qian Jun/Xinhua)
Piastri's third win this year was in large part decided at the first turn, when Verstappen picked up a five-second penalty for gaining an advantage after going off the track.
He becomes the first Australian to lead the drivers' standings since his agent, Mark Webber, 15 years ago.
"Very happy to have won, made the difference at the start. Great race.
"Max was still a bit too close for my liking!" Piastri said, after crossing the line 2.843 seconds clear of the four-time world champion.
His McLaren teammate Lando Norris, who went into the weekend leading the standings, took fourth ahead of the two Mercedes of George Russell and Kimi Antonelli.
