oscar piastri wins the saudi arabian Grand Prix

Oscar Piastri takes victory in the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. Max Verstappen finishes in second place, and Charles Leclerc completes the podium in third.

Photo: Opeightyone

A race that began under the Safety Car after a serious collision between Yuki Tsunoda and Pierre Gasly, forcing both to retire their cars on the opening lap. But the action didn't end there: at the start, there was also an incident between Max Verstappen and Oscar Piastri. The Dutchman received a 5-second penalty for going off the track and gaining an advantage over the Australian driver.

Oscar Piastri took a great victory in Saudi Arabia with impressive race pace and a flawless performance, making no mistakes from start to finish. Max Verstappen, who started from pole, lost the lead in the opening laps but surprisingly remained competitive with a Red Bull that, while not the best-performing car of the weekend, showed pace very close to that of the McLarens. The Dutchman crossed the finish line in second place, just 2.843 seconds behind Piastri.

Charles Leclerc completed the podium with a brilliant strategy. The Monegasque started the race on medium tires, managing to stretch his first stint to lap 29 with a solid and consistent pace. This allowed him to tackle the final 20 laps on much fresher tires, consolidating his third position with authority.

Lando Norris had an incredible race starting from tenth place. He opted for a different strategy than the rest of the field by starting on hard tires, which allowed him to extend his first stint and gain better pace in the second half of the race. The British driver performed several key overtaking maneuvers and managed to climb positions to cross the finish line in a remarkable fourth place, scoring valuable points for McLaren and consolidating a strategic and intelligent performance.

Mercedes' performance was below expectations. Better race pace was anticipated, but both drivers ended up losing several positions throughout the Grand Prix. The main problems arose after installing the hard tire, where the car's performance declined significantly. Both Kimi Antonelli and George Russell suffered from degradation and a lack of pace, which prevented them from fighting at the top of the grid and left them out of the battle for important positions.

Lewis Hamilton continues to struggle with his adaptation to the Ferrari. During the race, he again faced problems managing tire degradation, which affected his pace and kept him far behind the performance of his teammate, Charles Leclerc. Despite the difficulties, the seven-time world champion managed to secure a valuable seventh place, salvaging important points on a weekend that was once again an uphill battle for him.

For Williams, it was an exceptional race. Both drivers managed to score valuable points for the team, demonstrating great performance and a well-executed strategy. Carlos Sainz crossed the finish line in a solid eighth position, while his teammate Alex Albon finished ninth, completing a double points finish for the team. It was an outstanding performance for Williams, who knew how to capitalize on every opportunity on track and consolidate their position as one of the protagonists of the weekend.

Racing Bulls rookie Isack Hadjar, despite the challenging track and the limitations of the car, showed maturity, consistency, and excellent handling under pressure. His tenth place finish not only gives the team a valuable point but also demonstrates that he has the talent to compete at the highest level. A promising debut for Hadjar on one of the most challenging tracks on the calendar.

For Aston Martin, Haas, Sauber, and Alpine, the problems continue to mount. None of these teams managed to find their rhythm over the weekend and were once again outside the points. This was especially true for Alpine, which was severely hampered by Pierre Gasly's accident on the opening lap, leaving them with no chance of recovery from the start. Aston Martin and Sauber failed to stand out at any point, while Haas, despite some improvements, still lacks the performance necessary to compete with the midfield. It was a difficult race for all of them, and they will have to work hard if they want to turn things around in the coming races.