McLaren driver Oscar Piastri celebrated after winning the Formula 1 Arab Grand Prix on April 20, 2025 at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Image source: AP
Oscar Piastri shows that his pace is to fight for Formula One champion. He showed he could win the dispute as well when he won the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix on Sunday.
Free throws played a key role in deciding game victory for the first time this season, as Piastri’s victory topped the list.
Piastri’s two wins this season are the main drivers of pole position. This time, he had to surpass four-time champion Max Verstappen.
Verstappen started pole position but got off the track when he was fighting Piastri for the lead in the first corner. He stayed in front but was fined for five seconds. Piastri thought he was already in front of Verstappen inside the corner and deserved the place.
“Once I get inside, I’m not going to be number one in the second round,” Piastri said.
“I tried my best. Obviously the housekeeper had to be involved. I thought I was far enough, and that’s why I won my game.”
Charles Leclerc ranked fourth in Ferrari and Piastri’s McLaren teammate Lando Norris, who finished fourth thanks to smart strategies and overtaking. Norris started at No. 10 after the qualifying crash.
It was Piastri’s second straight win, which last week in Bahrain, and has won three of its five games this year. He has only won two games before this season.
Piastri led 10 points from Norris, with Verstappen ranked third.
Piastri fell behind Norris for Sunday’s three-pointer, partly because he was his first GP of the season in his home game in Australia.
He has become the first Australian to lead the F1 rankings since he was Red Bull driver Mark Webber in 2010. No Australian has won the championship since Alan Jones in 1980.
Piastri said the fine was the reason for his victory. He kept up with the problem in Vestapon’s car before the pit stopped without damaging the tires.
Piastri beat Verstappen and took a slight lead over the first corner just to get Verstappen over Chicane. After a crash between Yuki Tsunoda and Pierre Gasly Seconds, Piastri and Verstappen argued their case via radio while queuing behind the safety car.
Verstappen accused Piastri of forcing him to leave, but the housekeeper disagreed and sentenced the Dutch driver to a five-second fine for driving off-track and gaining an advantage. Verstappen responded sarcastically. He had to obey the penalty kick that stopped at his pit stop before the crew could touch the car to change tires.
At the event after the game, Verstappen praised the fans and the track and said, “The rest is the truth.”
Norris returned to fourth after starting tenth.
Norris’ strategy is the opposite of most fields, from slower, longer-lasting hardbands. This means he led the race briefly after most other drivers raced earlier and could win his victory if there was an incident that required a safety car or a red flag.
There was almost a major accident when Fernando Alonso and Gabriel Bortoleto hit the wheel. Two-time champion Alonso encountered a runoff area but maintained the car’s control.
publishing – April 21, 2025 07:04 AM IST
