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Piastri wins in Saudi Arabia to lead the World Drivers' Championship
Jaiden Sciberras • April 21st, 2025 11:12 am
Oscar Piastri has won the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, taking the lead in the World Drivers’ Championship for the first time this season.
Piastri’s fifth GP win saw the 24-year-old leapfrog teammate Lando Norris to become the first Australian to lead the Drivers’ Championship since Mark Webber in 2010.
The result did not come without controversy, as Red Bull’s Max Verstappen was hit with a five-second time penalty for leaving the track and gaining an advantage in the first corner, cutting the apex to re-enter ahead of Piastri at the front of the grid.
Piastri stated that he certainly had the advantage entering the corner, believing that the penalty was a just decision by the FIA.
“Once I got on the inside, I wasn’t coming out of turn one in second," Piastri said.
"I tried my best. Obviously, the stewards had to get involved. I thought I was plenty far enough up and that’s what won me the race.”
Max Verstappen believes that the incident potentially cost him the race, as a win would have seen the Dutchman leading the Drivers’ Championship for the first time this season.
“Yeah, potentially (hinder the race),” said Verstappen.
“It is what it is, I think it’s also better we don’t talk about it because we are not allowed to express our opinions.
“The positives are of course that in the race, we had quite good pace.”
With a 10 point lead atop the Championship, Piastri and the F1 grid have a weeks break before heading to the US for the Miami Grand Prix.
