Verstappen Edges Piastri in Nail-Biting Saudi Arabian Qualifying Shootout

Max Verstappen (Left) Oscar Piastri (Right) (Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images)

A Thrilling Qualifying Session

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen claimed pole position for the 2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix after an exhilarating qualifying session in Jeddah. The reigning world champion snatched the top spot from McLaren’s Oscar Piastri by just 0.010 seconds. Meanwhile, Mercedes’ George Russell secured an impressive third on the grid.

"Yeah, I mean, very happy. I definitely didn't expect to be on pole here after FP3. But yeah, the car came alive in the night. We made some final changes and it was a lot more enjoyable to drive," said Verstappen. He added, "Qualifying is extremely difficult here because of all the walls. You need to try and nail it. And yeah, it's really satisfying to be first. Even though I think tomorrow in the race, it will be tough to keep them [McLaren] behind, we're gonna give it a good go."

Qualifying Drama Unfolds

Q3 erupted into chaos when Lando Norris ran wide at Turn 4. He bounced over the kerb and lost control of his McLaren before crashing into the wall. The red flag came out with just over eight minutes remaining, shortly after teammate Piastri had completed a swift lap to go top with a time of 1:27.560.

When the session resumed, Verstappen fought back with a lap of 1:27.559—just 0.001 seconds quicker than Piastri. Then, Verstappen dove into the pits to put on a fresh set of soft tires for one final charge. In the last minute, Russell laid down a blistering 1:27.407, temporarily taking the lead. However, Piastri responded impressively with a stunning time of 1:27.304.

In the final moments, with the clock running out, Verstappen crossed the line, sealing pole position with a 1:27.294. His final run was just one-hundredth of a second quicker than Piastri.

Piastri Reflects on Close Qualifying

"I mean, to be honest, I was pretty happy with it. There wasn't too much more left in that lap. I think I was playing catch-up a little bit through the first part of qualifying, and then that last lap felt more or less like the best I could have done," said Piastri.

"Before the session, I would have definitely taken a P3. But when I saw how close it was, I was really happy with the lap. Though you always think there might have been a little bit more. But, you know, being realistic, I think this was probably the maximum today. We know we don't quite have the pace of the McLaren, and obviously, Max did an amazing job again—so yeah, congrats to him," added Russell.

Roundup of Q1 and Q2

The session had everything: close margins, a red flag, and loads of drama. Q1 saw early exits for Kick Sauber’s Gabriel Bortoleto, Alpine’s Esteban Ocon, Kick Sauber's Nico Hulkenberg, Alpine’s Jack Doohan, and Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll. The final spots in Q2 were fiercely contested.

There was disappointment in Q2 for Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso and Racing Bulls’ Liam Lawson. Haas’ Ollie Bearman narrowly missed his first Q3 appearance of the season. Williams’ Alex Albon also fell short of qualifying in the top ten.

Race Setup and Grid Positions

For the race, Verstappen and Piastri will share the front row, followed by Russell and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc in fourth. Rookie Kimi Antonelli impressed once again, qualifying fifth for Mercedes. He was ahead of Williams’ Carlos Sainz and Sir Lewis Hamilton for Ferrari.

Yuki Tsunoda placed eighth for Red Bull, just ahead of Alpine’s Pierre Gasly. Norris will line up tenth on the grid after his crash at Turn 4 forced him out of the session.

Excitement Builds for the Grand Prix

With the top three drivers separated by just over a tenth of a second, the stage is set for a thrilling Grand Prix under the lights in Jeddah. Fans can expect intense competition as Verstappen looks to hold off challenges from both Piastri and Russell.

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