Oscar Piastri wins Saudi Arabian Grand Prix to lead drivers’ championship

By Scott Hunt, PA F1 Reporter, Jeddah

Oscar Piastri moved ahead of Lando Norris and into the drivers’ championship lead with victory at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix as Max Verstappen paid the price for a first-lap penalty.

Pole-sitter Verstappen was penalised for cutting the corner at turn one to stay ahead of Piastri, allowing the McLaren man to jump in front at the pit stops and he never looked back.

Piastri made it back-to-back wins and three for the season to move 10 points ahead of team-mate Norris at the top of the standings – the first Australian to lead since Mark Webber in 2010.

Norris labelled himself a “f*****g idiot” after crashing in qualifying and admitted he’d made life difficult for himself starting from 10th.

But he limited the damage with a strong race to finish fourth and is two points ahead of Verstappen.

Charles Leclerc claimed third for Ferrari with Mercedes’ George Russell fifth.

Verstappen’s Red Bull future dominated the pre-race build-up after a disappointing weekend in Bahrain sparked more speculation that he may wish to leave the team.

The four-time world champion banished that talk and issues with his car with a flawless lap to take pole on Saturday.

Every previous race this season, including China’s sprint, had been won from pole but Piastri made an early bid to change that as he got a great launch off the line and moved to the inside of Verstappen.

The Dutchman dived across the run-off area and stayed ahead, with Piastri on the radio to say: “He needs to give that back, I was ahead.”

Verstappen’s view was: “He forced me off, there was no intention from him to make that corner.”

The stewards sided with Piastri as Verstappen received a five-second penalty. “Well that is f*****g lovely,” said Verstappen.

Further back, Yuki Tsunoda and Pierre Gasly banged wheels and were both out – forcing a first-lap safety car.

Verstappen got the jump on Piastri at the restart as the McLaren was forced to defend from Russell.

Piastri pitted on lap 19, trailing by nearly three seconds, with Verstappen in two laps later. The Dutchman served his penalty and emerged three seconds behind.

On his out lap, Piastri completed a sensational overtake on Lewis Hamilton.

Once he gained clean air ahead of Verstappen, Piastri showcased the might of the McLaren to cruise to victory.

Norris had moved up two places courtesy of the first-lap crash and was soon up to seventh by passing Carlos Sainz but found Lewis Hamilton a tougher task.

For two laps running, Norris moved ahead only for Hamilton to hit back with DRS down the main straight. On lap 15, Norris got the job done to claim sixth.

Norris and Leclerc both ran long first stints and the Ferrari man used his fresh rubber to pass Russell to take third with 13 laps remaining.

Russell was struggling and was soon reeled in by Norris, who blasted past at the start of lap 41 to secure fourth.

Hamilton came home where he started, taking seventh for Ferrari.