ROUND 5: 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia
FORMULA 1 STC SAUDI ARABIAN GRAND PRIX 2025
Circuit stats
- First Grand Prix: 2021
- Number of laps: 50
- Circuit Length: 6.174 km
- Race Distance: 308.45 km
- Lap record: 1:30.734 Lewis Hamilton (2021)
- 2024 winner: Max Verstappen
Track Map
I just watched the race highlights (was traveling so couldn’tcatch the race). Nothing controversial about the penalty that max got. He was clearly behind piastri while entering the corner and hence piastri was not obliged to give him any space. The way people were talking about it, I thought they piastri tried to outbrake max from behind and pushed him out. Max has himself done this many times (gaining a slight but clear lead into T1 and pushing the car on the outside off the track when the guy does not yield), T1 Imola 2021 being a prime example.
Piastri keeps impressing again and again. Great start, consistent pace throughout and pulled off that daring pass on Hamilton because the situation demanded it. Verstappen too was impressive, bad start and grumpy mood notwithstanding. How he is inserting himself into what should be 2-horse title battle is impressive. Leclerc was also solid, absolutely maximizing that car.
That was a solid race all things told. In these last year of a regulation times fraught with dirty air struggles we can’t be too greedy. We got some battles, we got some controversy and we got an awesome overtake by Piastri.
Tyre selection keeps being a challenge for Pirelli but maybe there were no good options. In stark contrast to last week we see the classic here of it not only being an easy one-stop but also one of the compounds being completely unusable in the race. Would going one step softer have helped? I would have at least liked to see it. Yes, the C6 would have been even more unusable, but that would have forced the teams onto the C5 and a probable two-stop at least.
Impressive race again by Piastri who did what he had to do, controversial lap one turn one aside. Again showing the importance of clean air this year, too. I thought going for the undercut and risking getting stuck in dirty air was a gamble but he did what was necessary to pull it off and it turned out well in the end. His overtake on Lewis was the highlight of the race for me.
Norris getting shown up by Hamilton like that can’t help his self esteem issues, and I do worry a bit that he’ll keep spiralling. He is fast, but he needs a much cooler head and much better racecraft than he showed today to fight Piastri, not to even mention Max.
Mixed day for Ferrari as Leclerc (my Driver of the Day) pulled a blinder and extracted the absolute maximum for a podium while Lewis just keeps floundering. He at least got to show some great racecraft today but his pace is just not there. He couldn’t even catch an Antonelli who was struggling, at least at times. Don’t know if or when things will change for Hamilton but right now it’s like watching a train wreck in slow motion.
Tough race for the rookies with Bortoleto and Lawson collecting penalties and Doohan managing to be the most disappointing Alpine driver in a weekend where his teammate crashed on lap 1. Can’t help but think his days are numbered.
I keep watching Antonelli onboards as I find him one of the most entertaining drivers and he did not disappoint, despite having a tough race. Tapped the wall four or so times during the race, that boy drives with no fear.
Special shout-out to Williams who had an awesome race, hunting in a pack and pulling off some fantastic teamwork with the DRS to keep their double points finish. You don’t see coordinated driving like that too often, lovely to watch. Great to see Sainz finally hitting his stride in his new team, too.
Hadjar also had a great race under the radar, truth be told. Not his fault he got stuck in the Williams self induced DRS play.
Max was so salty today after the race lol didn’t even spray anyone with his rose water, basically told DC to fuck off.
Not the biggest DC fan but I love how he took that one to Charles right after. “I guess you’re happier with your P3 than Max with his P2”
I dont think he meant that towards DCs question. I think he simply knew that he couldnt answer the question without cursing so he did not bother
DC already had to deal with this. This polite shit from Max is nothing to him.
I’m going to say the same thing I said last year when all the Norris fans (or Max haters) were salty that Norris got a 5 second penalty for overtaking Max off track when Max was the one who pushed him off. Back then I said Norris should’ve given the position back and made a case that Max didn’t leave him space which is why he had to go off track. And I think the same applies here, Max should’ve given the position back and made a case that Piastri didn’t leave him room to do anything else. Because let’s face it, Piastri didn’t leave him space. Piastri barely stayed within the lines and had he also gone off Max wouldn’t have received a penalty. But Max did end up overtaking Piastri off track and he stubbornly refused to give the position back so he deserved the penalty.
On a sidenote, I do find it funny how Piastri pulls a Verstappen-esque move on Verstappen and everyone still puts all the blame on Verstappen. I guess it’s okay to make moves like that if you’re not named Max Verstappen.
everyone still puts all the blame on Verstappen.
I don’t think it is an issue of blaming Max. Just that max shouldn’t be so bitchy for having his own move pulled on him. Piastri did nothing wrong today. The only thing max did wrong was not give the place back.
Max didn’t make the corner in COTA.
Piastri made corner in Jeddah.
You said it, but don’t seem to realise the implications.
Hypothetically, if Piastri also had gone off would you put the blame on Piastri?
I think the ruling is that he doesn’t need to leave space cuz max wouldn’t have made the corner at that speed if he left him space. It’s basically cancelling the alongside-ness since the move wouldn’t stick.
I had zero problem with the move this, last, or any time. I think it probably was worth giving back right away but he handled the penalty really really well and was in contention anyway
From his driver cam it looks like he probably could’ve made the corner if Piastri had left space. But I’m not trying to defend one or another as I also have no issue with what happened. Piastri did what Max would’ve done and Max got a taste of his own medicine.
I think this season is going to be an interesting championship fight between Piastri and Verstappen.
Sharl had something extra in his water today
Must be the water.
Zak Brown clearly has a favorite and Oscar isn’t it.
