Oscar Piastri wins Saudi GP, leads championship over Verstappen

Oscar Piastri claimed his third victory of the season at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, moving ahead of McLaren teammate Lando Norris to lead the F1 drivers’ championship. Piastri secured the win after a strong start and a pivotal first-lap incident where Max Verstappen, starting from pole, cut the corner to maintain his lead and was handed a five-second penalty by the stewards. The penalty allowed Piastri to take the lead during the pit stops, while Verstappen finished second, keeping himself in title contention despite the setback. Charles Leclerc took third for Ferrari, marking the team's first podium of the year, while Norris recovered from a qualifying crash to finish fourth and limit the damage to his championship hopes. The race began with a dramatic safety car after a collision between Yuki Tsunoda and Pierre Gasly, and saw both McLarens emerging as the fastest cars on the grid, leading both the drivers’ and constructors’ standings. Verstappen and Piastri offered differing views on the turn one incident, but the stewards’ decision ultimately shaped the race outcome.