Formula 1 2025 rolled on with its fifth visit to Jeddah for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, hosting a race that always determines the wheat from the chaff.
It was another race, like many so far already, one which saw one McLaren elevated to the top step of the podium, and behind that, a flurry of good and bad performances in the barmy Arabian night.
Oscar Piastri – 8.5
Qualified: P1, Race Result: P1
Piastri took the lead of the Drivers’ title, but it was an unspectacular weekend from the Aussie.
He missed out on pole position in what is essentially the fastest car, and benefitted from the penalty handed to his chief race rival Max Verstappen for their first corner shenanigans.
But nevertheless, it takes guts and guile to navigate the tricky Jeddah Corniche Circuit, and Piastri did so impeccably.
Lando Norris – 5
Qualified: P10, Race Result: P4
Norris had the measure of Piastri in the practice sessions and it looked as if qualifying would be a Battle Royale between the two McLarens.
However, his shunt in Q3 effectively ended his chances of victory there and then, setting him for what a damage limitation job in the race.
His performance was respectable, working his way to fourth, however this would have potentially been third had he not shown schoolboy race craft in his tussle with Lewis Hamilton.
Norris must put his Saturday disappointment behind him, otherwise he will perhaps start to find Piastri’s wheel tracks fading away in his pursuit of them.
Max Verstappen – 8.5
Qualified: P1, Race Result: P2
Verstappen showed his worth once again with a scintillating pole position, utilising the small window he had to change tyres and opt for another run after the red flag period.
The weekend was another demonstration of how superior he can be, particularly given the uncompetitive RB21, but the Dutchman only has himself to blame for not winning.
His poor start dropped him into the clutches of Piastri immediately, and their close quarter duel into the first corner resulted in the Red Bull taking to the run-off.
This incurred the wrath of race control who imposed a time penalty upon him. It could be said that if he had allowed Piastri through, his chances of victory would’ve been higher.
Yuki Tsunoda – 3.5
Qualified: P8, Race Result: DNF
Tsunoda had a good qualifying for the most part, being within around half-a-second of Verstappen in Q1 and Q2.
But Q3 saw the deficit increase, ending-up nine-tenths adrift and starting in eighth.
Any chance of Tsunoda managing to managing to salvage anything from the weekend was abruptly halted with his first-lap collision with Pierre Gasly.
Tsunoda will hope that his TPC test at Silverstone will enable him to gain some serious milage and further understanding of the team prior to the Miami Grand Prix.
Charles Leclerc – 10
Qualified: P4, Race Result: P3
When Charles Leclerc’s doubters find their voice, Leclerc himself seems to find his form, and his Jeddah drive was without a doubt his best performance of the season so far.
As is often the case in F1, your main reference point is your team-mate, and to qualify half-a-second quicker than Lewis Hamilton is a pretty impressive feat.
In the race, he ended-up 30 seconds ahead of Hamilton at the finish, whilst also repelling a late challenge from Norris to secure his first podium of the season.
If Leclerc continues this form, and if the trajectory of the car is on an upward trend, Leclerc will be likely to become McLaren’s chief threat, at least on circuits where Red Bull will struggle.
Lewis Hamilton – 5
Qualified: P7, Race Result: P7
After a more glass-half-full approach after Bahrain, in which he talked post-race about the improvement of the car and his necessary driving style adjustments to make it work.
Jeddah was back to the forlorn Hamilton we have become so used to post-2021.
Struggling to find a balance in qualifying, his driving performance was also reminiscent of 2024, labouring to a race finish in which he did not lose or gain a position in the final result.
His brightest moment came amid his tussle with Norris, showing the younger man he still has it during his more unimpressive spells.
George Russell – 7.5
Qualified: P3, Race Result: P5
Russell has been one of the standout drivers of 2025 so far, and Saturday showed this continuing streak with an impressive qualifying performance.
Had he opted for a similar gamble to Verstappen, he may well have nabbed pole, but he was left to settle for third, but looked firmly in the mix nonetheless.
Come raceday, the Mercedes suffered from blistering on its tyres, which condemned him to a race in which he could do little to prevent both Leclerc and Norris getting the better of him.
Andrea Kimi Antonelli – 7
Qualified: P5, Race Result: P6
Antonelli’s impressive start to the season continued what another points finish, and this time securing a better qualifying position.
In the race, it was perhaps more uneventful than other outings he has had so far this year, but his race pace was impressive late on, which shows improvement in his tyre management.
It would be unfair of Toto Wolff to think anything other than positively in his decision to hire the teenager after what he will have witnessed from him so far.
Carlos Sainz – 9
Qualified: P6, Race Result: P8
After some good one-lap pace in Bahrain, Sainz continued this in Jeddah, out-qualifying team-mate Alex Albon for the second successive race, as well as Hamilton, the man who replaced him at Ferrari.
It was a measured race performance too, and even did his bit for the team towards the finish, hanging-back to allow Albon to secure DRS to stave off a charge from Isack Hadjar’s Racing Bulls.
That sort of experience in tactics has been something Williams have lacked in its second car for a number of years, therefore it must be a refreshing change for James Vowels to have that at his disposal.
Alex Albon – 7
Qualified: P11, Race Result: P9
Albon was despondent after qualifying, opining that being sent out in an isolation, therefore unable to get any tow, hindered his chances of making it into Q3, which he ultimately failed to do.
He did produce the goods in the race though, working his way into the points and helping Williams to a vital double helping in its quest to keep itself in the midfield battle.
Isack Hadjar – 8
Qualified: P14, Race Result: P10
Despite being knocked-out in Q2 and qualifying behind team-mate Liam Lawson, Hadjar once again demonstrated the faith shown in him by his Red Bull paymasters has not been unfounded.
It was, admittedly, a quiet race for the Frenchman, but progressing into the points once again was secured a high rating, particularly as he seem unfazed by the tricky circuit amid his duel with Albon for ninth.
Liam Lawson – 6.5
Qualified: P12, Race Result: P12
Lawson’s first full season in F1 has, by all accounts, not gone totally to plan, particularly as his prior experience with the Racing Bulls outfit might give cause to think he could outperform Hadjar.
He did so in qualifying, but remained 12th in the race, partly down to a harsh penalty for an overtake on Jack Doohan which saw him handed 10 seconds to his time for gaining an advantage, despite having already gone past the Alpine on the start-finish straight.
If the B Team can maintain its pace in the midfield, then points will surely start to come Lawson’s way if he continues to rebuild his confidence.
Fernando Alonso – 8.5
Qualified: P13, Race Result: P11
That early chunk of 2023 must seem like a long time ago for Alonso, a time in which it seemed that F1’s renaissance man was finally being afforded a car his talent deserves.
Fastforward to now, and he is wrestling with another machine that is incapable of securing a meaningful points battle.
Jumping two places from his qualifying position, finishing within 10 seconds of 10th place, it seemed that Alonso did just about everything he could in a car that is currently going to need some of the Adrian Newey magic to see it challenge.
Lance Stroll – 6
Qualified: P16, Race Result: P16
Stroll earned himself the unwanted accolade of having the most Q1 exits in F1 history in Jeddah.
The poor starting position left Aston Martin with the decision to deploy a risky strategy which would see him left out on hard tyres for an achingly long time, in the hope a Safety Car situation might occur.
It did not, and was eventually called-in as his tyres degraded to dust, leaving him to finish where he started.
Oliver Bearman – 7
Qualified: P15, Race Result: P13
In Haas’ topsy-turvy season, Jeddah was more turvy, as Bearman was unable to extract enough from his challenger to reach Q2.
His personal pleasure might have come from out-qualifying his experienced team-mate Esteban Ocon, who was 19th.
There was no joy this time around as there was in Bahrain, but, again, he was able to firmly be the strongest of the Haas cars in the race.
He finished two positions higher than he had managed in qualifying and, in the process, finished half-a-minute up the road from Ocon.
Esteban Ocon – 5
Qualified: P19, Race Result: P14
The whole weekend was a ginormous struggle for Ocon, who seemed to be powerless to find anything positive in the car.
A mistake in his final qualifying run left him behind Ocon, and in the race, executed a strategy of pitting early to hards and then completing the race on the same set.
Compared to all else who tried it, Ocon fared better, but it was still a dismal weekend as the VF-25 struggled around the Corniche.
Nico Hulkenberg – 6
Qualified: P18, Race Result: P15
Hulkenberg looked capable of reaching Q2 despite the Sauber’s lack of competitiveness but a mistake in his final run confirmed an early exit.
His race was, by all accounts, one of an experienced driver who did about as much as he could in a package that is leaving him stuck at the tail end of the field.
Gabriel Bortoleto – 4
Qualified: P20, Race Result: P18
Bortoleto’s weekend got off to a bad start, missing Q2 due to a leaking fuel tank.
It set the tone for the remainder of the weekend, dropping out of Q1, in which he spun on his last run.
He was left to battle it out with Jack Doohan to not be the final driver across the line, a battle he lost right at the end.
Out of all the rookies, determining Bortoleto’s capability for F1 is without a doubt the hardest, as he is driving a car which barely as the capability for F1, regardless of who is in the seat.
Jack Doohan – 4
Qualified: P17, Race Result: P17
Doohan has shown a lot of good one-lap pace, which has seen him get close to team-mate Pierre Gasly on occasions, but the Jeddah circuit is a tough nut to crack, and crack it he did not.
A poor qualifying showing left him towards the back of the field, and his late overtake on Bortoleto was his only positive.
One must wonder how large the shadow of Franco Colapinto looms over him, with Flavio Briatore’s ruthless gaze surely burning into the back of his neck for good measure.
Pierre Gasly – N/A
Qualified: P9, Race Result: DNF
After a brilliant weekend in Bahrain, the Alpine confidence must have surely been high.
Qualifying would have likely keep that in place, too, with Gasly making it into Q3, albeit over a second off pole position.
It must have been frustrating to have had his race curtailed on the first lap, as his collision with Tsunoda sending him to a very early retirement.
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