Saudi Arabian GP: Oscar Piastri wins, Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari third
In the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix on the very fast Jeddah circuit Oscar Piastri won his fifth career race with McLaren ahead of Max Verstappen, who had started from pole position with his Red Bull, and the Ferrari of Charles Leclerc. Fourth Lando Norris, author of a fine comeback from tenth place co the other MvLaren, fifth and sixth George Russell and Kimi Antonelli with the Mercedes. Seventh was Lewis Hamilton in the second Ferrari.
Verstappen closes the door on Piastri at the start but to stay ahead he has to cut the first corner, followed by Russell, Leclerc and Antonelli. Further back Tsunoda rams Gasly in turn four and for both the race is already over and the safety car enters the track staying there for three laps. Cutting the first corner costs Verstappen a 5-second penalty.
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On lap 14 nice overtaking and counter-overtaking between Norris and Hamilton who eventually retains sixth position, but has to yield on the next lap on the pit straight to his McLaren compatriot. At the end of lap 19 pit-stops for Piastri, a bit slow with 3″4 and moreover when he returns to the track he has to make a complicated overtaking move on Hamilton, and Antonelli, the next lap it is Russell’s turn and at the end of the 21st to Verstappen, who serves the penalty and re-enters behind Piastri and Hamilton.
In the lead is Leclerc ahead of Norris, the Ferraris stop at the end of lap 23 with Hamilton and even at the end of lap 29 with Leclerc. The last to stop, at the end of the 34th, is Norris, the only one of the big guys who started on white hard tires, unlike the others who had yellow medium tires. At the end of the round of pit stops, the top 10 is as follows: 1st Piastri, 2nd Verstappen, 3rd Russell, 4″ Leclerc, 5th Norris, 6th Antonelli, 7th Hamilton, 8″ and 9th Carlos Sainz and Alexander Albon with the two Williams and 10th Isack Hadjar with the Racing Bulls.
With 13 laps to go Leclerc snatches the bottom step of the podium from Russell, the Mercedes Briton shortly afterwards is also overtaken by Norris to whom a shiver runs down his spine from a possible wrong exit from the pits but will not be sanctioned. Norris tries to give chase to Leclerc but the Monegasque manages to stay in front and take his first podium finish of the season for Ferrari in a Sunday race.
Piastri victoriously crosses the finish line just over 3 seconds ahead of Verstappen, who is second and whose maneuver at the start cost him the win. Leclerc, Norris and Russell follow, all other top ten positions remain unchanged. In the world standings Piastri jumps to the top with 99 points, followed by Norris with 89 and Verstappen with 87, Leclerc remains fifth with 47 points.
