Formula 1: Articles & News Reports.

[Fortitude]

Bahrain Grand Prix qualifying results: Piastri dominates Norris as Verstappen in disarray.
Oscar Piastri stormed to pole position at the Bahrain Grand Prix as championship rivals Lando Norris and Max Verstappen could only secure P6 and P7 grid slots respectively.
Apr 12, 2025
Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

The nerves were jangling in the Red Bull garage heading into the final Q1 runs. Neither Verstappen nor Yuki Tsunoda managed to extract a representative lap time from the ill-behaving RB21, leaving them in the elimination zone with a minute remaining. Fortunately for Christian Horner, both made it out on their final runs. There was also a redeeming moment for Jack Doohan, who ended the session in P5. The Australian’s performance was under the microscope heading into qualifying after a costly crash during FP2 in Japan last weekend.

Q2 was red-flagged after just a few minutes following a crash for Esteban Ocon at Turn Two. The Haas racer lost control on the outside kerb, sending his VF-25 machine spinning rear-first into the barriers. When action resumed, Red Bull’s drivers found themselves in ninth and tenth. Fortunately for Verstappen and Tsunoda, Doohan and Isack Hadjar were unable to improve enough to drop them into the bottom five.

‘Piastri dominates’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-a...i-Lando-Norris


F1 Bahrain GP 2025 – Qualifying Results
Oscar Piastri was the class of the field and took pole position for the 2025 Bahrain GP
12 April 2025
John Smith
Total Motorsport

Pos Driver Team Time
1 Oscar Piastri McLaren 1:29.841
2 George Russell Mercedes +0.168
3 Charles Leclerc Ferrari +0.334
4 Kimi Antonelli Mercedes +0.372
5 Pierre Gasly Alpine +0.375
6 Lando Norris McLaren +0.426
7 Max Verstappen Red Bull +0.582
8 Carlos Sainz Williams +0.839
9 Lewis Hamilton Ferrari +0.931
10 Yuki Tsunoda Red Bull +1.462

‘Qualifying Results’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-...fying-results/


Piastri on pole and Norris only sixth in qualifying for F1's Bahrain Grand Prix
12 Apr 2025
ASSOCIATED PRESS
MailOnline

SAKHIR, Bahrain (AP) - Oscar Piastri took pole in qualifying for the Bahrain Grand Prix on Saturday as his McLaren teammate and standings leader Lando Norris could only manage sixth. George Russell was a surprisingly strong challenger and took second for Mercedes, .168 of a second off Piastri's time. Charles Leclerc qualified third for Ferrari and Norris was .426 off the pace in sixth.

Red Bull's Max Verstappen was seventh after reporting a "terrible" problem with his brakes and seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton was ninth for Ferrari. Esteban Ocon had a heavy crash in his Haas in the second part of qualifying, causing a delay. He signaled to the team he wasn't hurt. Verstappen is one point off standings leader Norris after winning the Japanese Grand Prix last week.

‘Piastri on pole’;

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/ap...rand-Prix.html


F1 2025 Bahrain Grand Prix – Qualifying Results
12 Apr 2025
Motorsport Week

Oscar Piastri took pole position at the 2025 Formula 1 Bahrain Grand Prix on Saturday evening, setting a time of 1:29.841s. The Australian racing driver just pipped the Mercedes of George Russell, who set an astonishing lap and matched the pace of the McLarens throughout qualifying.

Charles Leclerc qualified in third for Ferrari ahead of the other Silver Arrows car of Andrea Kimi Antonelli. Pierre Gasly shone throughout the sessions and put his Alpine car on the third row by qualifying in fifth place.

Just behind the Frenchman was Lando Norris, who failed to join his team-mate on the front row. Max Verstappen in the Red Bull qualified in seventh, behind the championship leader.

‘Qualifying Results’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2025/...fying-results/


Norris and Verstappen suffer as Piastri stuns under the Bahrain lights
Oscar Piastri claimed an important pole position at the Bahrain International Circuit, whilst championship rivals Lando Norris and Max Verstappen qualified only sixth and seventh, respectively.
12 Apr 2025
Samuel Coop
RacingNews365

Oscar Piastri soared to pole position for the Bahrain Grand Prix, beating George Russell by one-and-a-half tenths of a second under the lights in Sakhir.

Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc rounded out the top three, with Kimi Antonelli and Pierre Gasly completing the top five.

‘Piastri stuns’;

https://racingnews365.com/norris-and...bahrain-lights

[Fortitude]

Piastri perfect as ‘clueless’ Norris slumps to sixth; Hamilton’s gap to Leclerc grows: Talking Points.
Come Monday morning, Australia’s Oscar Piastri could be leading the Formula 1 world drivers championship for the first time in his young career.
April 13th, 2025
Michael Lamonato
Fox Sports (Australia)

Starting from pole with teammate and title leader Lando Norris down in sixth after an unpredictable hour of qualifying, if the McLaren drivers finish where they’re set to start — or even if Norris rises to fourth — the Australian will move to top spot at his teammate’s expense.

It would be the first time an Australian has topped the title table since Mark Webber’s stretch in the lead between Italy and Japan in 2010. Of course it’s too early in the season to start talking about the championship table. More important, however, is what such a switch — whether it happens this weekend or, as appears almost inevitable, at some other point this season — signifies in the context of this season.

‘Piastri perfect’;

https://www.foxsports.com.au/motorsp...1ddd05a1e8ec69


‘I feel like I’ve never driven an F1 car’ – Norris left searching for answers after disappointing P6 result in Bahrain…
12 Apr 2025
Formula One - Official Site

Lando Norris cut a downbeat figure after Qualifying for the Bahrain Grand Prix, with the McLaren driver having to settle for sixth on the grid while team mate Oscar Piastri charged to pole position. Asked to explain what happened as the session drew to a close, Norris said: “I was just slow. I’ve been slow this whole weekend, to be honest. Nothing too surprising, honestly. I’ve just been off it.”

“I feel like I’ve just never driven an F1 car before. I’m struggling a lot, I don’t know why. I need to try and find some answers.” He added: “The car’s amazing. I have nothing to complain about. The car, the team are doing an amazing job, Oscar’s on pole by a good chunk. I’m thankful for the team, they’re doing an amazing job, just I’m letting them down.”

“I feel like I’ve just never driven an F1 car before”;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...QO4lcA2wmZEJP9


Lando Norris near speechless after disastrous qualifying in Bahrain
12 Apr 2025
Kieran Jackson
The Independent

Lando Norris could not hide his disappointment after a disastrous qualifying on Saturday at the Bahrain Grand Prix.

The championship leader will start Sunday’s race in sixth place, despite his McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri starting on pole position.

Intriguingly, Norris will start a spot ahead of Max Verstappen – who is just one point behind him in the driver standings.

‘Lando Norris near speechless’;

https://www.independent.co.uk/f1/lan...-b2732215.html


Verstappen 1, McLaren 0: F1 Analyst Explains Max’s Psychological Edge Over Norris & Piastri
12 Apr 2025
Samriddhi Jaiswal
Athlon Sports
Macon.com

Speed isn't just about raw horsepower in Formula 1 - it's about mental horsepower, too. And after the Japanese Grand Prix, Max Verstappen proved once again why he's the sport's undisputed master of mind games.

A seemingly casual post-race jab at McLaren - "You wouldn't have seen me if I was in that car" - wasn't just banter. According to F1 analyst Karun Chandhok, it was a calculated psychological strike, one that gave the Red Bull star a stealthy 1-0 advantage over rising rivals Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.

"I read two things into that statement," Chandhok explained. "One was a message to his own team which was 'I won you this race but I'm going to need a car that's quicker than this if you want me to win the world championship.' But he was also playing a psychological game with Lando and Oscar and, to be honest, they bit. It was 1-0 there for Max in that little needle game."

‘Verstappen 1, McLaren 0’;

https://www.macon.com/sports/article...mainstage_lead


Lando Norris: McLaren driver dejected after Bahrain GP qualifying struggle leaves him sixth as Oscar Piastri takes pole
Championship leader Lando Norris said he had "no idea" why he failed to deliver in Sakhir qualifying; Norris to start five places behind polesitting team-mate Oscar Piastri; watch the Bahrain Grand Prix on Sunday at 4pm, with build-up from 2.30pm live on Sky Sports F1
12 Apr 2025
Sky Sports

A despondent Lando Norris felt he just wasn't quick enough after qualifying sixth for the Bahrain GP in his McLaren A deflated and frustrated Lando Norris admitted he was "just not quick enough" after slumping to an unexpected sixth place on the Bahrain Grand Prix grid as McLaren team-mate and title rival Oscar Piastri surged to pole.

‘Despondent Lando Norris’;

https://www.skysports.com/f1/news/12...iastri-on-pole


‘Watch his hands’: Oscar Piastri reminds Karun Chandhok of Alain Prost with one aspect of Bahrain Grand Prix pole lap
12 Apr 2025
Kyle Archer
F1 Oversteer

Chandhok lauded Piastri on Sky Sports F1 (12/4, 18:29) after scoring pole for the Bahrain GP with the McLaren driver’s ‘silky smooth’ lap that drew echoes of Prost’s car control. The ex-HRT racer also likened Piastri’s car control to Jenson Button and felt it was like slow motion.

Chandhok said: “Down into Turn 1, watch his hands. Look at how smooth he is. Look at how calm the steering inputs are. That is a driver at one with his car, completely comfortable. It is just like watching a Jenson Button or an Alain Prost lap. Silky smooth.”

He also continued: “Just watch Oscar’s hands into 13. Just see. How smooth is that? It’s like watching it in slow motion but it’s not. That is genuinely a driver so comfortable, he knows exactly where the car is going to be and the car is predictable.”

“It is just like watching a Jenson Button or an Alain Prost lap. Silky smooth”;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/osc...prix-pole-lap/


WRITTEN BEFORE OSCAR PIASTRI QUALIFIED ON POLE: Piastri demolishes the pack in final practice
Oscar Piastri was in a class of his own in Free Practice 3 for the Formula 1 Bahrain Grand Prix.
12 Apr 2025
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Piastri was more than six-tenths clear of his nearest rival, teammate Lando Norris, with Charles Leclerc the only other driver within a second of the Australian. It was otherwise uneventful as McLaren and Piastri stamped their authority on the pack.

With strong pace throughout the three practice sessions, it is that combination that heads into Qualifying as favourites for pole.

‘Piastri demolishes the pack’;

https://speedcafe.com/f1-news-2025-b...esults-report/


Oscar Piastri qualifies on pole for F1 Bahrain Grand Prix
12 Apr 2025
ABC Online

Australian Oscar Piastri will start the Formula 1 Bahrain Grand Prix from pole position. It is the second grand prix pole of Piastri's career, after qualifying quickest in China earlier this year.


Piastri was a class above on Saturday in Bahrain, having also been the fastest in that day's practice session. The Melbourne-born McLaren ace produced a blistering lap of 1:29.841 to qualify fastest ahead of Mercedes driver George Russell and Ferrari's Charles Leclerc.

"“[It] felt like I’ve been comfortable all weekend, and there’s no better place to start than on pole,” Piastri said. "[I] can’t thank the team enough for the car they’ve given me and I’m excited for the race tomorrow."

‘Piastri was a class above on Saturday in Bahrain, having also been the fastest in that day's practice session’;

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-04-...ain-/105169766

[Fortitude]

Dominant Piastri wins action packed Bahrain Grand Prix.
Australia's Oscar Piastri has won the Bahrain Grand Prix for McLaren as if there was nobody else on track. Starting from pole he was never really challenged. Behind him, lots of action that eventually saw Russell battle his own car to finish second as Norris finished third.
13 Apr 2025
Steven De Groote
F1 Technical

When the lights went out, Piastri managed to get into the corner first despite a fierce challenge by Russell who even briefly locked the front left while braking as late as possible. Leclerc didn't really have a poor start but he lost one spot before Turn 1 to Russell and then has Norris in his mirrors who powered out of the Turn 1 - Turn 2 complex to get aside of the Ferrari, eventually overtaking him through the outside of Turn 4.

At the start of the penultimate lap Norris is right behind Russell and it was clear Russell was fighting his heart out, edging on the limit of grip of traction out of the final corner to not fall victim of the McLaren with DRS wide open. Same situation for the final lap though this time Russell had to defend the inside line, which he did perfectly. This left Norris without a chance in Turn 4 as well and despite being very very close, Russell secured a well deserved second place while Norris can be happy with third after the disappointment of qualifying.

The final lap did still provide a position change as after continuing pressure, Verstappen made it past the Alpine of Gasly to take 6th place. A decent comeback, especially if we compare that to Antonelli who essentially got caught out by the safety car after having been on soft tyres for only 5 laps. Bearman ended up being the best rookie today by securing a point for Haas, in addition to 8th place for Ocon. All this happened without worrying race winner Oscar Piastri. The Australian drove an impeccable race after laying the foundations in qualifying on Saturday.

‘Dominant Piast’;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/26611


Bahrain GP: Race Results
Full results from the Formula 1 Bahrain GP from Bahrain International Circuit.
14 Apr 2025
Mat Coch


Pos Num Driver Team Laps/Diff
1 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren – Mercedes 57 Laps
2 63 George Russell Mercedes + 15.499s
3 4 Lando Norris McLaren – Mercedes + 16.273s
4 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari + 19.679s
5 44 Lewis Hamilton Ferrari + 27.993s
6 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull – Honda + 34.395s
7 10 Pierre Gasly Alpine – Renault + 36.002s
8 31 Esteban Ocon Haas – Ferrari + 44.244s
9 22 Yuki Tsunoda Red Bull – Honda + 45.061s
10 87 Oliver Bearman Haas – Ferrari + 47.594s

‘Race Results’;

https://speedcafe.com/f1-news-2025-b...order-details/


Oscar Piastri converts pole to take assured F1 Bahrain GP victory
14 Apr 2025
Dan Lawrence
Motorsport Week

McLaren‘s Oscar Piastri was cool, calm and collected as he clinched victory from pole position at the 2025 Formula 1 Bahrain Grand Prix. Mercedes’ George Russell combated late-race technical gremlins to clinch second as Piastri’s McLaren team-mate Lando Norris recovered from qualifying disappointment to take third.

Piastri gets the job done in Bahrain. With 10 laps to go, Piastri’s lead was 4.9s over Russell, who had a 1.6s buffer to the Leclerc/Norris duo as Hamilton started to endure a period of loneliness in fifth. Norris tried another nibble on Leclerc at Turn 4 on Lap 49, but the Ferrari driver kept the McLaren at bay once more.

The McLaren driver finally got the move done around the outside of Turn 4 on Lap 52 as Russell started experiencing technical issues, from accidentally opening his DRS, complaining of gear issues and having the threat of his dash going off. The accidental DRS opening meant Russell would be investigated post-race, but his immediate worry was Norris closing in.

‘Oscar Piastri converts pole’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2025/...in-gp-victory/


Peerless Piastri dominates Bahrain GP
Oscar Piastri dominated the Bahrain Grand Prix to deliver McLaren's first-ever win in the event.
14 Apr 2025
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

The Australian started from pole and commanded the race, only ceding top spot through the pit sequence. He led George Russell, who survived a reliability scare in his Mercedes, with a combative Lando Norris in third.

However, Russell’s second was under a cloud with the Brit facing a post-race investigation for a DRS issue. Jack Doohan ran inside the points for long stretches but fell down to 13th at the flag, while Liam Lawson was 13th.

At the race start, Piastri jumped from pole as George Russell and Charles Leclerc went side by side in the fight for second.

‘Peerless Piastri dominates’;

https://speedcafe.com/f1-news-2025-b...order-details/


Russell under investigation for illegal DRS use during Bahrain Grand Prix
13th April 2025
Keith Collantine
RaceFans

George Russell is under investigation after finishing second in the Bahrain Grand Prix, for potentially using DRS when it should have been deactivated.. The stewards have summoned him and a Mercedes team member to meet them at 8:45pm local time over his “alleged usage of the DRS system outside the pre-defined activation zones.”

Drivers are only permitted to activate DRS during the race when they are within one second of the car in front at certain pre-defined points on the track. Ordinarily drivers are unable to activate DRS when they are not close enough as it is detected by the timing system. However a problem developed regarding the timing system on Russell’s car during today’s race. This was the reason why Russell’s name periodically dropped down the order on Formula 1’s official timing screens.

‘Russell under investigation’;

https://www.racefans.net/2025/04/13/...in-grand-prix/

[Fortitude]

Oscar Piastri celebrates ‘perfect’ Bahrain Grand Prix victory to reach second in F1 championship standings.
“It’s gonna be one hell of a party tonight! Mega weekend everyone, mega! That was pretty damn fun!” Piastri declared over the team radio, although this quiet achiever noted later that, actually, he wouldn’t be joining any celebrations because he had to think of next week’s race in Saudi Arabia.
14 April 2025
Ian Chadband
The West Australian

Australian Oscar Piastri has earned another majestic Formula One triumph from pole position to win the Bahrain Grand Prix and move into second place in the world drivers’ championship. The McLaren driver hailed it as an “incredible weekend” following his 50th grand prix start on Sunday after he held off a challenge on the first corner from Mercedes’ George Russell at the floodlit Sakhir circuit and then utterly dominated, even after a mid-race restart under the safety car.

The man from Melbourne became the first driver this season to win two grands prix, following his China victory, and he claimed the biggest margin of any winner, outpacing Russell by more than 15 seconds while McLaren teammate and championship leader Lando Norris finished third. Team principal Andrea Stella called it a “perfect drive, a perfect weekend by Oscar”.

““It’s gonna be one hell of a party tonight!”;

https://thewest.com.au/sport/f1/osca...ngs-c-18363772


Russell reveals ‘all sorts of failures’ he experienced in tense Bahrain GP as he avoids penalty
13 Apr 2025
Formula One - Official Site

“It felt all under control for a moment, then suddenly we had a brake-by-wire failure, so the pedal was going long, then it was going short… I didn’t know what was going on… the steering wheel wasn’t working properly,” Russell explained. “It was really hard-fought to keep Lando behind; I think one more lap and he would have got me pretty comfortably. Nevertheless, I’m really pleased with P2.”

Pressed on the Drag Reduction System trouble that was discussed with his engineer over the radio, he continued: “We were basically having all sorts of failures. We did an override on the DRS, and on one lap I clicked the radio button and the DRS opened.”

“I straightaway closed it again, backed off, nothing gained, and I lost more than I gained – it was only open for a split second. It kind of goes to show the amount of issues we were having, but as I said, I’m really pleased with P2.”

‘All sorts of failures’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...GY0DxD5RyluSby


Mercedes boss Toto Wolff offers George Russell high praise after multiple car issues in Bahrain
Toto Wolff was once again thrilled by George Russell's driving.
13 April 2025
Euan Burns
Total Motorsport

Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff has been praising Russell a lot this season and when speaking to Sky Sports F1 after the race, he showed how impressed he was by how the former Williams man dealt with all of the issues. “Him managing the system coming in and out while keeping Norris behind him is just an unbelievable drive. What he did secured a podium,” Wolff said.

“On top of that, taking the soft for such a long time was also great between managing and then attacking when he needed to.” Expanding more on the brake-by-wire issue, Wolff explained why Russell had to work so hard to deliver so many points for the team.

“If you haven’t driven a race car that has a BBW or conventional brake, it’s like when power steering fails and then imagine you have to adjust between one corner having it and the next one not having it. That was just very good skill,” Wolff explained. “We feared we would lose the whole dash which would mean no buttons, no wheels to turn any of the settings, no shift lights and we had it in the back of our mind that it takes concentration away.”

‘High praise’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-...-bahrain-2025/


Max Verstappen's manager confronts Helmut Marko in Red Bull garage after Bahrain GP chaos
Max Verstappen's manager Raymond Vermeulen was involved in an angry confrontation with Red Bull chief Helmut Marko
Apr 13, 2025
Daniel Moxon
Daily and Sunday Express

Speaking live on his show, Ted's Notebook, the Sky Sports pit lane reporter recounted the incident: "At the end of the race, I was waiting around here for some team principals and Raymond Vermeulen, Max's manager, came into the Red Bull garage and gave Helmut Marko what can only be described as a piece of his mind," he said. "He was remonstrating with Helmut Marko who was just standing there, taking it, and then Raymond stormed off to the back of the garage sort of taking his pass off as he went. Clearly, they are not happy."

Verstappen struggled throughout the weekend, suffering brake issues during qualifying which saw him start seventh on the grid. Despite an eventful race, he was only able to gain one position by the finish. After a disheartening performance in the latest race, Red Bull's top brass, including Helmut Marko, Christian Horner, Pierre Wache, and Paul Monaghan, urgently gathered to dissect their team's issues.

Post-crisis talks, Marko expressed his concern to journalists: "It's a very difficult day for Red Bull, that's obvious to all of us. We have to get, as soon as possible, performance in the car again and also standards like a pitstop have to work. The car is not the fastest and then the pitstops are not working. That is not acceptable." He further revealed the severity of the situation by stating: "[It is] very alarming. We know that we are not competitive and there will be parts coming in the coming races and hopefully they bring improvement. We have a lot of problems. The main problem is balance and trip."

‘Max Verstappen's manager Raymond Vermeulen was involved in an angry confrontation’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-a...ain-grand-prix


Marko voices fear over Verstappen Red Bull exit
Following a difficult weekend in Bahrain, Helmut Marko has admitted he fears Max Verstappen could opt to leave the team.
13 Apr 2025
Fergal Walsh
RacingNews365

Speaking to Sky Deutschland, Marko called on Red Bull to make rapid improvements or risk being eliminated from championship contention. “It is clear: we need to make progress,” he said. “Not progress in points, but on the stopwatch. And with a performance like we are putting in now, unfortunately, nothing will come of the world championship.”

The four-time champion has been linked with a departure from the team across the last 12 months with Mercedes and Aston Martin labelled as potential destinations. When asked how big the worries are that Verstappen could opt to leave, Marko replied: “Those are very big.”

“Improvements have to be made in the near future so that he has a car he can win with. It shouldn't be a fluke, like in the rain in Brazil or in Japan. There the track came to him and he set a magic lap. There has to be a stable base.”

‘Fear over Verstappen Red Bull exit’;

https://racingnews365.com/red-bull-c...ppen-departure


Ted Kravitz reacts to MANIC race and catches up with Oscar Piastri �� Ted's Bahrain GP Notebook
Apr 13, 2025
Sky Sports F1

Sky Sports F1's Ted Kravitz reacts to a nail-biting Bahrain Grand Prix, won by McLaren's Oscar Piastri, ahead of Mercedes' George Russell and team-mate Lando Norris. Elsewhere Red Bull and Max Verstappen struggled and Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton fought through the pack to finish fifth with the Driver of the Day award.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9trwrBQleIg

[Fortitude]

Luca di Montezemolo has u-turned on Ferrari signing Lewis Hamilton after attending the Bahrain Grand Prix.
“His dream of a world championship title at Ferrari will not come true!” Luca di Montezemolo.
14 Apr 2025
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

Luca di Montezemolo is a Ferrari legend, having acted as team principal during the 1970s and overseen Niki Lauda’s two championship wins for the Scuderia. However, the excitement he had around Hamilton signing has dissipated after attending the Bahrain Grand Prix. “Hamilton is a big champion, he will do everything to end his career with a world title. (Charles) Leclerc wants to win his first title, this will be so much fun. With two number ones, it will be even more important to have a car capable of winning, that’s fundamental. Otherwise, this move will be very risky.”

However, when speaking to Blick while attending the race in Bahrain, Di Montezemolo u-turned on his previous positivity around Hamilton and simply said: “His dream of a world championship title at Ferrari will not come true!” When pushed further on the problems Ferrari are facing, he explained: “The team has lacked leadership for years. Yes, it lacks soul. They used to work day and night, and the company used to stand for passion. And now they’re chasing success almost aimlessly!” Not only that, but he questioned another driver’s decision Ferrari have made, and said: “All of Italy is wondering why an Italian like Kimi Antonelli is driving for Mercedes and not Ferrari.”

‘U-turned’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/luc...in-grand-prix/


Fred Vasseur sends Ferrari clear instruction after early Lewis Hamilton struggles
Lewis Hamilton took his best grand prix finish of fifth for Ferrari in the Bahrain Grand Prix after a tricky start.
14 Apr 2025
Jake Nichol & Ian Parkes
RacingNews365

Fred Vasseur has urged Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari to "calm down" after the seven-time F1 champion's early struggles with the team. Vasseur - who worked with Hamilton in the junior categories - feels fine margins are making the difference for the 40-year-old as he urged the team to remain composed.

"After [the sprint race] in China, we were speaking about the prize-giving ceremony, and after the race in China, it was a total disaster," Vasseur told media, including RacingNews365. "In terms of management, we have to take it easy, to calm down as the issue is that, probably for us, the ups are a bit higher and the downs are a bit lower.”

"It means that if we want to keep a consistent approach, which we did very well in the last two years, we have to stay calm to improve hundredths of seconds by hundredths of seconds… …with the field we have now, if you miss two or three-tenths in qualifying because you made a mistake, you will lose six or seven positions."

"Calm down";

https://racingnews365.com/vasseur-se...lton-struggles


Max Verstappen's F1 future thrown into doubt as details of ugly bust-up at Red Bull emerge
Verstappen's manager had a fiery run-in with a Red Bull chief after the Bahrain Grand Prix.
15 Apr 2025
Andrew Reid
Yahoo! Australia

Red Bull's F1 adviser Helmut Marko admits he has "great concern" about Max Verstappen's future with the team beyond this season, following the four-time world champion's latest struggles at the Bahrain Grand Prix.

Verstappen was once again left frustrated by the lack of speed and performance-related issues of the Red Bull car in Bahrain, and it culminated in a fiery post-race incident involving the Dutchman's manager Raymond Vermeulen and Red Bull supremo Marko.

"At the end of the race, Raymond Vermeulen, Max’s manager, came into the Red Bull garage and gave Helmut Marko what can only be described as a piece of his mind," Sky Sports’ Ted Kravitz reported.

‘Fiery run-in’;

https://au.news.yahoo.com/max-versta...TOT9SklqQxXbun


Red Bull chief speaks out after bust-up with Max Verstappen’s manager
Apr 14, 2025
Callum McAvoy
Metro.co.uk

Marko has now emerged from the bust-up saying he is ‘greatly concerned’ that the reigning world champion will leave the Formula 1 team at the end of the season.

This incident come just days after the details of Verstappen’s release clause were revealed, with the driver able to leave Red Bull before the end of his contract in 2028 if he drops out of the top three in the championship.

Aston Martin and Mercedes have been closely linked with the 27-year-old and Marko now concedes that an early exit is very much a possibility.

‘Red Bull chief speaks out’;

https://metro.co.uk/2025/04/14/red-b...o=newsnow-feed


“Oh my God that was difficult”: Full radio from Verstappen’s luckless Bahrain GP
14th April 2025
Keith Collantine
RaceFans

Lap: 1/57 VER: 1’43.877
Verstappen: Lando is over his grid box.
Lambiase: Okay, understood, thanks.
Lap: 11/57 VER: 1’59.918
Verstappen is late leaving his pit box as the team’s pit exit lights remain on red
Verstappen:Fuck’s sake, man.
Lap: 27/57 VER: 2’00.045
The team are slow to change Verstappen’s front-right wheel. He shakes his head
Lambiase:And strat five, white line on the exit, strat five, white line on the exit.

Lap: 55/57 VER: 1’38.687
Lambiase: Max, there’ll be two laps remaining next time round. You have six seconds of press-and-hold to use. But it will drain the battery, so I recommend you use that on the last lap and we’ll leave it to you where you want to use it, whether that’s down to turn one or to turn four. So two laps remaining.
Lap: 57/57 VER: 1’37.662
Verstappen passes Gasly at turn four
Lambiase: There is some more available, two seconds.
Lambiase Press and hold, overtake, two seconds now.

Chequered flag
Lambiase: Okay, nice overtake and P6. Plenty of pick up on the way in, please Max. Pick up on the way in.
Verstappen: Yeah, that was at least positive, that last lap. Oh my God, that was difficult. Jesus.
Horner: Good move on the last lap there Max, that was a tough afternoon in the office so plenty to go away and look at but you drove your heart out today, well done.
Verstappen: Yeah, unfortunately a lot of things on our side also went wrong in that race, that doesn’t help.
Lambiase: Yep.

“Oh my God that was difficult”;

https://www.racefans.net/2025/04/14/...ss-bahrain-gp/


Jacques Villeneuve accuses Lando Norris of ‘cracking under pressure’ after spotting ‘costly’ Bahrain Grand Prix error
14 Apr 2025
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

Formula 1 world champion Jacques Villeneuve was analysing the Bahrain Grand Prix race on Instagram and was quick to praise Piastri on his second victory of the year. However, he wasn’t impressed with Norris and explained: “Very different race to Suzuka, well there, they had to do tyre management, today, we had to do lots of pit stops, but surprisingly the soft tyres were the good ones.

“Piastri, master of the weekend, controlled qualifying, controlled the race, mostly with his teammate showing signs of cracking under pressure. It seems to be the story of the season, little mistakes here and there, they’re costly, but he managed to salvage the lead of the championship, but he has to pay attention now because Piastri is not far behind.”

‘Cracking under pressure’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/jac...nd-prix-error/


Lando Norris shows familiar signs as Piastri emerges as title contender
14 Apr 2025
Kieran Jackson
The Independent

Lando Norris: “Everyone says I’m leading the championship, I don’t know how at the minute, I’m pretty surprised,” Norris said. It wasn’t his first self-deprecating quote of the weekend – it likely won’t be his last of the season.

It was a theme, starting in Spain last June, which persevered throughout Norris’s inaugural title tilt up against Max Verstappen in 2024. Despite his obvious skill behind the wheel, Norris would often present a figure of self-doubt, constantly questioning his abilities, particularly up against one of the modern greats in the Dutchman.

‘Self-deprecating quotes’;

https://www.independent.co.uk/f1/lan...-b2732625.html

[Fortitude]

Which F1 drivers do well at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix with Max Verstappen successful in Jeddah.
Max Verstappen is the most successful driver in Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
15 Apr 2025
Rory Mitchell
F1 Oversteer

Max Verstappen is the most successful driver at Jeddah, having first triumphed in 2022 after a late race battle with Charles Leclerc, in which he fought back from fourth on the grid. His 2024 win was more straightforward, winning with ease from Sergio Perez and a full 18 seconds clear of Leclerc who finished in third for Ferrari.

Lewis Hamilton took victory in 2021, which would put him level on points with Verstappen in the title showdown heading into Abu Dhabi, while Perez won one of three races in 2023 behind the wheel of the RB19.

‘Most successful driver’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/whi...ful-in-jeddah/


Verstappen reveals how Red Bull will fight McLaren in Saudi Arabia
The Dutchman is hopeful Red Bull’s performance will be closer to the Japanese GP, which he won.
15 April 2025
Brandon Sutton
Total Motorsport

Max Verstappen is hopeful Red Bull might fight McLaren at the F1 2025 Saudi Arabian GP as he reveals the reasons why the team should perform better than how they did at the Bahrain International Circuit. “Last year we did well in Jeddah,” Verstappen said in a press release. “It’s a semi-street circuit with very high speeds, so that makes it fun to drive on.”

“Normally there is less tire wear on this circuit, so it should be a better race for us. We will have to give everything one more time before this triple header comes to an end. Hopefully we can get a little more pace out of the car, and we will perform like in Japan again.”

‘Red Bull will fight McLaren’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/max...di-arabian-gp/


Verstappen pins hopes on a better race in Jeddah after horrendous Bahrain Grand Prix
14 Apr 2025
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

Having endured a tough and tricky day in Bahrain, Verstappen has called out for improvements, but he has already set his sights at next weekend's round in Jeddah. “P6 was at least a positive result considering all the things that went wrong today. The start was not good, we struggled with tyre management all race, and I had no grip or pace on the hard tyres.”

"During our pit-stops there was a problem with the lights which cost us a lot of time in the pits and put us back in to traffic. Unfortunately our second pitstop was worse than the first and at one point I was in last place. I enjoyed the fight at the end with Pierre and the overtake on the last lap, I tried to maximise our points until the very end.”

"To finish P6 at the end was the best that we could do, this was not the weekend that we wanted but we have to keep on trying to improve. We are working on finding solutions and solving the issues we have at the moment to hopefully be more competitive in Jeddah."

‘Verstappen pins hopes on a better race’;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/26617


F1 driver was handed incorrect Saudi Arabian GP grid penalty due to 'glitch' in system
15 Apr 2025
Ryan Smart
Yahoo! Sport

The FIA have been forced to rescind a grid penalty for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix after it was shown to have been awarded incorrectly. A glitch on the FIA's race control systems meant that the fact Sainz had actually served his penalty didn't register. The system normally flags automatically when penalties have been served during races.

The timing systems went down during the second half of the Grand Prix in Bahrain, with Mercedes' Russell also experiencing faults with his steering wheel dashboard, brake-by-wire system and transponder. The Brit was investigated for a DRS infringement after the race but the stewards decided to take no action against him.

As for Sainz, the FIA later released clarification that they had rescinded his three-place grid penalty, acknowledging the error on their systems. A short statement from F1's governing body read: "Penalty was served and should not be converted to a grid position penalty."

‘The FIA have been forced to rescind a grid penalty’;

https://uk.sports.yahoo.com/news/f1-...170935302.html


How to watch the 2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, WEC at Imola and more
14th April 2025
Keith Collantine
RaceFans

2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix live session times
Event Date Start Time End Time Time Zone Channels
Saudi Arabian Grand Prix: First practice Friday 18th April 2:30pm 3:30pm Europe: London UK: Sky Sports F1, US: ESPN2
Saudi Arabian Grand Prix: Second practice Friday 18th April 6:00pm 7:00pm Europe: London UK: Sky Sports F1, US: ESPN2
F1 Academy: Jeddah Corniche Circuit race one Saturday 19th April 1:20pm Europe: London UK: Sky Sports F1, US: ESPN+
Saudi Arabian Grand Prix: Third practice Saturday 19th April 2:30pm 3:30pm Europe: London UK: Sky Sports F1, US: ESPN2
World Endurance Championship: Six Hours of Imola qualifying Saturday 19th April 2:30pm Europe: London UK: FIAWEC TV, US: FIAWEC TV
Formula 2: Jeddah race one Saturday 19th April 4:15pm Europe: London UK: Sky Sports F1, US: ESPN+
Saudi Arabian Grand Prix: Qualifying Saturday 19th April 6:00pm Europe: London UK: Sky Sports F1, US: ESPNEWS
World Endurance Championship: Six Hours of Imola Sunday 20th April 1:00pm Europe: London UK: FIAWEC TV, US: FIAWEC TV
F1 Academy: Jeddah Corniche Circuit race two Sunday 20th April 1:05pm Europe: London UK: Sky Sports F1, US: ESPN+
Formula 2: Jeddah race two Sunday 20th April 2:25pm Europe: London UK: Sky Sports F1, US: ESPN+
Saudi Arabian Grand Prix: Race Sunday 20th April 6:00pm Europe: London UK: Sky Sports F1, US: ESPN2

‘How to watch’;

https://www.racefans.net/2025/04/14/...mola-and-more/

[Fortitude]

Max Verstappen brushes off Red Bull exit suggestions.
Max Verstappen refused to entertain suggestions he could walk away from Red Bull at the end of this year, insisting he is only focused on improving his car ahead of this weekend's Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
Apr 17, 2025
Laurence Edmondson
ESPN.com

Ahead of this weekend's Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, Verstappen was asked about his future and the potential to join another of F1's top teams. "A lot of people are talking about it [my future] except me," Verstappen told reporters on Thursday.

"Like I said before, I just want to focus on my car, work with the people in the team -- that is the only thing I am thinking about in Formula 1 at the moment. I am very relaxed."

When asked if he was considering leaving the team by F1 commentator David Croft, Verstappen responded: "You focus on commentating, I'll focus on driving and we don't need to worry about any other scenarios."

"A lot of people are talking about it [my future] except me";

https://www.espn.com/f1/story/_/id/4...it-suggestions


LIVE: F1 Saudi Arabian GP media day updates from the paddock.
News from the F1 paddock at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit ahead of this weekend's grand prix
Apr 17, 2025
Live Commentary
Jake Boxall-Legge
Motorsport.com

06:59:10 pm
NORRIS: COMPRESSED START TO 2025 HAS STOPPED OVERTHINKING
Although it was obvious last weekend that Lando Norris wasn't the happiest chappie in the paddock, he's grateful that he has a chance to get another go straight away this weekend to deliver a better performance.

06:53:42 pm
A QUIET NIGHT IN: PIASTRI "KEPT IT SENSIBLE" WITH BAHRAIN WIN CELEBRATIONS
Oscar Piastri described the McLaren celebrations after securing victory last weekend in the most Oscar Piastri way possible. If he was any more level-headed, he'd have a flat-top...

06:49:40 pm
HAMILTON ON JEDDAH: DRIVERS ARE WORKING OVERTIME TO PERFORM
To round out the Ferrari duo, Lewis Hamilton has given the Jeddah circuit his thumbs up - although I feel like the drivers are surprisingly positive about it every year. Nonetheless, here's what he said about Saudi Arabia's high-speed venue.

‘LIVE: F1 Saudi Arabian GP media day updates’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/live-t...a-day/1124388/


‘Seen less’: Lando Norris is losing the ‘launchpad for his superiority’ against Oscar Piastri at McLaren according to Jolyon Palmer
17 Apr 2025
Kyle Archer
F1 Oversteer

Jolyon Palmer thinks a key reason why Piastri has recovered 20 of his 23-point deficit in three rounds is that Norris is losing his ‘stronghold’ in qualifying at McLaren. He has had the better of the Australian just twice this year, and could have qualified behind Piastri in Japan.

Norris scored pole for the Australian GP, and it proved decisive in the 25-year-old winning in Melbourne. Yet Piastri got and converted his first F1 pole to win in China before doubling up in Bahrain, and Andrea Stella admits Norris finds McLaren’s 2025 car more difficult to drive.

“Qualifying was a stronghold for Norris last season,” Palmer told the F1 website. “He beat his teammate 20-4 in the head-to-head, and it was the launchpad for his superiority within McLaren and his late title challenge in 2024.”

‘Launchpad for his superiority’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/lan...jolyon-palmer/


Lewis Hamilton will love what Ferrari insiders are saying about his Saudi Arabian Grand Prix chances after Bahrain updates
17 Apr 2025
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

Lewis Hamilton was in a position to sound far more positive after the Bahrain Grand Prix than in his previous post-race interviews in Japan and China. report from the Italian outlet Gazzetta dello Sport has shared more details about the changes Ferrari have recently made to their car.

They believe the Ferrari have ‘nearly doubled’ the peak operating window of the SF-25 with their first set of updates this season, and the new floor has undeniably had a ‘positive impact’ for both Hamilton and Leclerc.

The extremely fast street circuit in Saudi Arabia is completely different to the track in Bahrain, and has a much smoother track surface compared to the abrasive asphalt at the previous race. Gazzetta reports that Ferrari staff believe this could create the ‘ideal condition’ for Hamilton and Leclerc, with an ‘increase of about 30%’ compared to the team’s performance in Bahrain expected.

‘Bahrain updates’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/lew...hrain-updates/


Our bold predictions for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix
17 Apr 2025
Editor
PlanetF1.com

Charles Leclerc, not Lewis Hamilton, on the podium. By Michelle Foster
Alex Albon and Isack Hadjar to both finish in the top five. By Oliver Harden

Jack Doohan to score his first point(s) in Jeddah. By Henry Valantine
Fernando Alonso maintains his point-less streak. By Elizabeth Blackstock

‘Bold predictions’;

https://www.planetf1.com/features/20...ix-predictions


F1 Fantasy: top picks & predictions for the 2025 Saudi Arabian GP
Apr 17th 2025
James Elson
Motor Sport Magazine

There are several key choices that could help you win big in F1 Fantasy for this weekend's 2025 Saudi Arabian GP. Here are our predictions; tips on drivers to avoid; which chips to play and further analysis

Oscar Piastri’s 2025 Bahrain GP was a masterclass in showing your F1 mettle, while his team-mate and main rival Lando Norris went to pieces.

It paid off for those who took Motor Sport’s Fantasy advice, the points flying in for McLaren’s Melbourne charger and others in our team – giving us crucial information on who to pick for this weekend’s Saudi Arabian GP.

‘Top picks & predictions’;

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/a...?nowprocket=1#

[Fortitude]

Piastri: ‘Attacking’ key to championship push in 2025.
McLaren’s Oscar Piastri believes that staying aggressive, race after race, will ensure his greatest chance of winning the world title at the end of the year.
18/04/2025
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

His early-season misstep at the Australian Grand Prix that tested his resolve, as he slid off in difficult conditions and left Melbourne empty-handed. Yet, the McLaren driver quickly turned the page, showcasing a mental strength that has become a hallmark of his racing persona.

“I think it is a strength of mine, yes. I think one of hopefully a few strengths of mine, but it is something that I have kind of recognised myself as a point of difference and is something that I’ve tried to work on,” he said, speaking in Jeddah ahead of this weekend’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. Even after Melbourne, it was painful in the few days afterwards, but I think the fact that I had such a strong weekend through practice, qualifying and was on the pace in the race, that was more encouragement than disappointment.”

“I feel like the whole season has been going well and I’ve just been trying to get the most out of what we know is a quick car. It’s been a fun first few races and hopefully, more. think it’s just genuinely very early. We’ve still got 20 races to go. I’m under no illusion that I’m trying to fight for a championship, but I knew that from before the season started,” he said.

‘Attacking’;

https://f1i.com/news/536215-piastri-...h-in-2025.html


Lando Norris not expecting instant turnaround to 2025 struggles despite McLaren answers
18/04/2025
Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Lando Norris revealed that McLaren has discovered some answers to his struggles with the team’s 2025 Formula 1 car, but he isn’t anticipating an instant turnaround. “A lot of me has been trying to figure out the issues, the struggles, and the reasoning behind it, which is the most difficult thing,” Norris said.

“We have started to figure out some things where I struggle, why I struggle and the reasons for these struggles and trying to implement things for this weekend. I’m trying to improve in those areas, so it is not like I want to come into this weekend and I’m full of confidence and know that things are going to turn around.”

“There are still things I’m going to be struggling with because there are certain things that you cannot change. But there are things I’m able to, from a driving style point of view. It is stuff I’ve never had to think of before, it is just not my normal way of driving or thinking.”

‘Discovered some answers’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2025/...laren-answers/


Montezemolo slams Ferrari: A team ‘without a soul’ in 2025
16/04/2025
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Montezemolo’s visit to the Sakhir paddock – the first since the 2014 Italian Grand Prix – was a moment laced with nostalgia. “How do I feel as a fan? Sad because I see a team without a soul,” he said. “Ferrari is passion, Ferrari is about working day and night, Ferrari is about never giving up. And I am also a little angry because I was hoping that at least this year we would see a truly competitive car from the start.”

‘Without a soul’;

https://f1i.com/news/536088-montezem...l-in-2025.html


Charles Leclerc: Ferrari ‘expects something more’ from F1 upgrade in Saudi Arabia
16/04/2025
Dan Lawrence
Motorsport Week

“I’m pretty sure that without the floor I wouldn’t be P3,” Leclerc told select media, including Motorsport Week, after qualifying in Sakhir, adding, “it’s probably not the best track to extract the maximum out of this new upgrade, but in the next few weekends we shall see more of it.”

“We are three tenths away from McLaren, our performance is similar to that of Mercedes while Red Bull has been a bit more inconsistent so far, and this makes it more difficult to have a clear picture of their potential,” Leclerc explained.

‘Expects something more’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2025/...-saudi-arabia/


Hamilton hits back at Ferrari criticism with forthright plea
After a mixed start to life at Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton addresses scrutiny, urges patience, and vows to help build something special
18 Apr 2025
John Smith
Total Motorsport

Lewis Hamilton has called for calm amid increased scrutiny and criticism over his early performances with Ferrari in 2025, urging fans and pundits alike to take a long-term view of what he insists is a work in progress.

“On one side it’s to be expected – it [Ferrari] is the greatest team in Formula 1 history, it’s that special,” Hamilton told the press in Jeddah, including Total-Motorsport.com. “Of course there’s more stories that are written about it and people have opinions. And it’s not always been smooth sailing. So, just from my perspective, you can’t work with a team and change things overnight.”

‘Urges patience’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/ham...rthright-plea/


Mercedes' Russell sees Bahrain P2 as 'the validation we needed' for 'more rounded' 2025 car
18 Apr 2025
Formula One - Official Site (Video)20:05 Thu, 17 Apr

Speaking ahead of this weekend's Formula 1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in Jeddah, Mercedes' George Russell reflects on his fine P2 at the Bahrain Grand Prix last weekend.

‘Validation’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/me...68225454918997


‘If you perform, everything is good’ – Russell responds to speculation over new Mercedes contract
18 Apr 2025
Formula One - Official Site

“The fact is, drivers have had contracts and if they don’t perform they get booted out. For drivers, performance is our currency – that’s what we’ve got, and if you perform everything is good, so I’m just excited to go racing this weekend, focus on performance and the future sorts itself out.”

Pushed further on whether there was any truth to some of the rumours that are circulating, Russell responded: “A few of them are reasonably close I guess, but at the end of the day we’ve never discussed a contract prior to May or June in a season.”

‘If you perform, everything is good’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...fMdQovopYW9e06


Max Verstappen: Red Bull can’t scapegoat old wind tunnel amid development crisis
18 Apr 2025
Dan Lawrence
Motorsport Week

“Of course, we’re not entirely happy with it and we’re working on a new wind tunnel,” Verstappen told Dutch media and Autosport.

“It just takes time, but we already knew that. It’s not a new thing this season. We saw back in 2023 that you can’t detect certain things in the wind tunnel. But the team has experience with that, so they know which direction they should develop in.”

“The only issue is that they can’t perfect some small details. But it worked in 2022 and 2023, and in 2021 we also had a good car under different regulations. So I wouldn’t just attribute everything to [the wind tunnel].”

“Of course, we’re not entirely happy”;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2025/...opment-crisis/


Yuki Tsunoda sets Max Verstappen target: 'I can beat him'
Many drivers have struggled for form alongside Max Verstappen at Red Bull - Yuki Tsunoda is looking to break that trend.
18 Apr 2025
Fergal Walsh
RacingNews365

“It's my first time driving a completely different car - I only drove with VCARB for the last four years, so it's the first time I drove a completely different team's car,” Yuki Tsunoda said.

“I’m trying to use that, and I know that if I unlock that area, I would be able to probably beat him [Verstappen]. I know myself that I can't beat him straight away, so I'm just trying to build a good baseline and wait for the moment that I can be in the [best] shape.”

'I can beat him';

https://racingnews365.com/yuki-tsuno...i-can-beat-him

[Fortitude]

Saudi Arabian GP: Gasly tops FP1 as Verstappen ‘just can’t turn the car’.
Pierre Gasly was the pacesetter as the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix race weekend got underway on Friday.
18 Apr 2025
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Pierre Gasly surprised F1 by posting the fastest time in first practice for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. It is the first time Gasly has topped a session since he did so in final practice for last year's Dutch Grand Prix, underlining the pace in his car at present after he qualified sixth for last weekend's race in Bahrain.

Leclerc had an opportunity to swiftly depose Gasly after setting the fastest middle sector, but missed out by 0.070s. On his second attempt, the minor errors which Norris feels have undermined him this season reared again as he made a slight error out of the high-speed Turn 1, forcing him to take to the immediate Turn 2 run-off, compromising his lap.

Norris had to settle for second quickest behind Gasly, with Leclerc and Piastri also within a tenth of a second of the Frenchman. Russell, whose best soft tyre lap was only marginally quicker than that on the medium, finished sixth, and effectively the filling in a Williams sandwich as Alex Albon and Sainz were on either side of him.

‘Gasly tops FP1’;

https://racingnews365.com/charles-le...stuns-f1-field


Saudi Arabian GP: Free Practice 1 Results
Full results from Free Practice 1 for the Formula 1 Saudi Arabian GP from Jeddah Corniche Circuit.
19 Apr 2025
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Pos Num Driver Team Laps Diff Best
1 10 Pierre Gasly Alpine – Renault 24 1:29.239s
2 4 Lando Norris McLaren – Mercedes 24 0.007s 1:29.246s
3 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 27 0.070s 1:29.309s
4 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren – Mercedes 24 0.102s 1:29.341s
5 23 Alex Albon Williams – Mercedes 22 0.367s 1:29.606s
6 63 George Russell Mercedes 20 0.379s 1:29.618s
7 55 Carlos Sainz Williams – Mercedes 25 0.540s 1:29.779s
8 44 Lewis Hamilton Ferrari 26 0.576s 1:29.815s
9 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull – Honda 25 0.579s 1:29.818s
10 22 Yuki Tsunoda Red Bull – Honda 25 0.582s 1:29.821s

‘Free Practice 1 Results’;

https://speedcafe.com/f1-news-2025-s...niche-circuit/


Saudi Arabian GP: Gasly steals the show in Jeddah FP1
18/04/2025
Michael Delaney
F1i.com

The Alpine charger’s late flyer on soft tyres shook up the pecking order. Norris, leading the drivers’ championship by three points, admitted pre-session that he’s still grappling with the MCL39’s driveability.

Yet, he and teammate Oscar Piastri – who finished fourth – kept McLaren firmly in the mix, sandwiching Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc in third. While FP1’s afternoon timing limits its relevance, the session offered a tantalizing glimpse of the pecking order.

Gasly’s pace suggests Alpine could be a dark horse, but McLaren’s consistency and Ferrari’s lurking threat keep them as favorites.

‘Gasly steals the show’;

https://f1i.com/news/536231-saudi-ar...eddah-fp1.html


Charles Leclerc cited for 'dangerous' move as Pierre Gasly stuns F1 field
Pierre Gasly pulled a lap from out of the blue to take the honours at the end of first practice for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
18 Apr 2025
Ian Parkes
RacingNews365

Pierre Gasly pulled a lap from out of the blue to take the honours at the end of first practice for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. Pierre Gasly surprised F1 by posting the fastest time in first practice for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

With Norris out front with a soft-tyre lap of 1:29.246s, Alpine's Gasly popped in a time 0.007s quicker than the Briton to oust him from top spot. It is the first time Gasly has topped a session since he did so in final practice for last year's Dutch Grand Prix, underlining the pace in his car at present after he qualified sixth for last weekend's race in Bahrain.

Leclerc had an opportunity to swiftly depose Gasly after setting the fastest middle sector, but missed out by 0.070s. On his second attempt, the minor errors which Norris feels have undermined him this season reared again as he made a slight error out of the high-speed Turn 1, forcing him to take to the immediate Turn 2 run-off, compromising his lap.

‘Out of the blue’;

https://racingnews365.com/charles-le...stuns-f1-field


2025 Saudi Arabian GP FP1 results - Gasly quickest from Norris
Apr 18th 2025
Pablo Elizalde
Motor Sport Magazine

Formula 1's 2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix weekend kicked off with Pierre Gasly on top of the times in first practice at Jeddah. Pierre Gasly was the surprise pace-setter in first practice for the 2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix as the fifth round of the season kicked off at Jeddah.

The Alpine driver, who scored the team’s first points of the year in Bahrain last weakened, posted a best time of 1m29.239s to lead the afternoon’s running ahead of Lando Norris‘s McLaren. Gasly set his quickest time on Pirelli’s medium tyres, finishing 0.007s ahead of the championship leader.

‘Surprise pace-setter’;

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/a...?nowprocket=1#

[Fortitude]

2025 Saudi Arabian GP FP2 results - Norris fastest as Tsunoda crashes.
Norris led a McLaren 1-2 in second practice at Jeddah as Red Bull's Tsunoda crashed against the wall.
Apr 18th 2025
Pablo Elizalde
Motor Sport Magazine

Lando Norris led a McLaren 1-2 in second practice for the 2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, heading Oscar Piastri in the night-time session.

Championship leader Norris outpaced Piastri by 0.163s with a time of 1m28.267s, the duo leading the Red Bull of Max Verstappen, who enjoyed a better session than in the afternoon and wound up over two tenths behind the Briton.

The 60 minutes of running were interrupted by a red flag with little over five minutes to go after Yuki Tsunoda crashed his Red Bull into the wall at the final corner.

‘FP2 results’;

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/a...?nowprocket=1#


Saudi Arabian GP: Free Practice 2 Results
Full results from Free Practice 2 for the Formula 1 Saudi Arabian GP from Jeddah Corniche Circuit.
19 Apr 2025
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Pos Num Driver Team Laps Diff Best
1 4 Lando Norris McLaren – Mercedes 20 1:28.267s
2 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren – Mercedes 21 0.163s 1:28.430s
3 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull – Honda 22 0.280s 1:28.547s
4 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 21 0.482s 1:28.749s
5 55 Carlos Sainz Williams – Mercedes 23 0.675s 1:28.942s
6 22 Yuki Tsunoda Red Bull – Honda 19 0.696s 1:28.963s
7 63 George Russell Mercedes 20 0.706s 1:28.973s
8 10 Pierre Gasly Alpine – Renault 21 0.839s 1:29.106s
9 27 Nico Hulkenberg Sauber – Ferrari 20 0.926s 1:29.193s
10 23 Alex Albon Williams – Mercedes 22 0.953s 1:29.220s

‘Free Practice 2 Results’;

https://speedcafe.com/f1-news-2025-s...niche-circuit/


Lando Norris leads McLaren 1-2 in Friday night Saudi Arabian GP practice
19 Apr 2025
Dan Lawrence
Motorsport Week

Lando Norris ended Friday practice on top at the 2025 Formula 1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix as he led a McLaren one-two in FP2. Norris’ benchmark effort, 1:28.267s, was 0.163s clear of McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri, who had a nervy moment brushing the wall at the exit of the final corner at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit.

And unsurprisingly, McLaren was the team on top, but Max Verstappen could take solace in placing his Red Bull in third, 0.280s off Norris’ benchmark. There were mixed fortunes at Ferrari with Charles Leclerc fourth and Lewis Hamilton languishing in 13th place, seven tenths slower than his team-mate.

‘McLaren 1-2’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2025/...n-gp-practice/


Lewis Hamilton under investigation after 'dangerous' near-miss
Lewis Hamilton must visit the stewards' office following the most-important practice session ahead of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
18 Apr 2025
Nick Golding
RacingNews365

Lewis Hamilton will be investigated following the conclusion of second practice ahead of this weekend's Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. The seven-time world champion was driving slowly on the racing-line through turns 17 and 18 of the Jeddah Corniche Circuit, ahead of a fast-approaching Alex Albon.

Albon was on a push lap when he suddenly had to take avoiding action to miss colliding with the slow-moving Ferrari driver. The Williams driver quickly complained that Hamilton's driving was "dangerous", with the stewards to determine after the session if Albon was impeded by the 40-year-old.

‘Under investigation’;

https://racingnews365.com/lewis-hami...rous-near-miss


Yuki Tsunoda issues Red Bull apology as Saudi Arabian GP crash explained
18 Apr 2025
Elizabeth Blackstock
PlanetF1.com

The Red Bull Racing crew look set to have a long night thanks to a crash by Yuki Tsunoda late in Free Practice 2 ahead of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. Tsunoda issued an apology to the team in the aftermath, but it won’t be the result the Japanese driver was hoping.

“Just turning too much and clipped the inside wall and just had damage,” Tsunoda told F1TV after the session. “After that, just no control. Apologies to the team; pace was looking good, so it’s a shame.” As far as the rest of the session went, Tsunoda noted that “the qualifying [simulation] lap was pretty good. A bit compromised with [tyre] warm up, but so far pretty OK.”

“I had a limited time on the long run which I caused by myself [with the crash] so I can’t really complain. It’s not definitely not how I wanted to end up, that’s for sure. The short runs are okay, I just compromised a bit with the warm-up, so there’s a bit more [lap time] there.”

‘Qualifying [simulation] lap was pretty good’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/yuki-t...rash-explained