F1 2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix: Starting Grid Set Following Dramatic Qualifying Session in Jeddah
After a thrilling and chaotic qualifying session under the lights of the Jeddah Corniche Circuit, the starting grid for the 2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix is now confirmed, complete with penalties applied. The fifth round of the 2025 Formula 1 season delivered excitement from start to finish as the high-speed street circuit once again proved to be a formidable challenge for the drivers.
Max Verstappen will lead the field from pole position after delivering a stunning lap in Q3 to snatch the top spot. The Red Bull driver posted a time of 1:27.294 to secure his 42nd career pole, bouncing back impressively after McLaren had looked strong earlier in the weekend. Verstappen’s strategic advantage came from his tyre management—he had two fresh sets of soft tyres available when Q3 resumed after a red flag interruption.
That red flag came courtesy of Lando Norris, who crashed early in Q3. Norris had been among the frontrunners and was a genuine contender for a front-row start before the incident abruptly ended his session. He failed to set a lap time and will now start from 10th on the grid. The incident played into Verstappen’s hands, giving him a clean track and optimal tyre condition for his flying laps.
Oscar Piastri, Verstappen’s main challenger during qualifying, had only one set of soft tyres left after earlier runs. The McLaren driver pushed hard and came agonisingly close, missing out on pole by just 0.010 seconds. He’ll start alongside Verstappen on the front row, promising a tense showdown into Turn 1.
Mercedes driver George Russell lines up in third after a strong performance, with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc taking fourth—though the Monegasque was over three-tenths adrift of Verstappen’s time. Young Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli continues to impress in his debut season, qualifying fifth and putting in another mature display.
Carlos Sainz, now driving for Williams following his offseason move from Ferrari, will start sixth. It was a solid showing as he adapts to a new team and car. Lewis Hamilton, now in Ferrari red after switching from Mercedes, lines up seventh, narrowly ahead of Red Bull’s Yuki Tsunoda, who starts eighth. Alpine’s Pierre Gasly completed the top nine.
As mentioned, Norris starts 10th after his crash, and he’ll need to stage a significant comeback if he hopes to maintain his current lead in the drivers’ standings. With overtaking opportunities limited and the Jeddah circuit known for its tight walls and high-speed corners, the task ahead for the McLaren driver is considerable.
Just outside the top ten, Alex Albon leads the Q2 dropouts and will start 11th for Williams. He’s followed by Racing Bulls drivers Liam Lawson in 12th and Isack Hadjar in 14th, with Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso sandwiched between them in 13th. Rounding out the Q2 eliminations is Ollie Bearman, the Haas rookie, who starts 15th.
Q1 saw several notable names fail to make the cut. Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll, Alpine’s Jack Doohan, and both Sauber drivers—Nico Hülkenberg and rookie Gabriel Bortoleto—were all eliminated early. Esteban Ocon, now with Haas after moving from Alpine, also failed to reach Q2 and will start 19th.
With the FIA having already confirmed all penalties and reviewed incidents from qualifying, the official starting grid for Sunday’s race is locked in:
1. Max Verstappen [Red Bull]
2. Oscar Piastri [McLaren]
3. George Russell [Mercedes]
4. Charles Leclerc [Ferrari]
5. Kimi Antonelli [Mercedes]
6. Carlos Sainz [Williams]
7. Lewis Hamilton [Ferrari]
8. Yuki Tsunoda [Red Bull]
9. Pierre Gasly [Alpine]
10. Lando Norris [McLaren]
11. Alex Albon [Williams]
12. Liam Lawson [Racing Bulls]
13. Fernando Alonso [Aston Martin]
14. Isack Hadjar [Racing Bulls]
15. Ollie Bearman [Haas]
16. Lance Stroll [Aston Martin]
17. Jack Doohan [Alpine]
18. Nico Hülkenberg [Sauber]
19. Esteban Ocon [Haas]
20. Gabriel Bortoleto [Sauber]
Saudi Arabian Grand Prix Start Time
The 2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix gets underway tonight, Sunday, April 20, at 8:00 PM local time (AST). For international fans, here’s when to tune in:
UK (BST): 6:00 PM
Central Europe (CEST): 7:00 PM
USA: 1:00 PM EDT / 12:00 PM CDT / 10:00 AM PDT
Australia: 3:00 AM AEST / 1:00 AM AWST / 2:30 AM ACST (Monday)
Japan (JST): 2:00 AM (Monday)
India (IST): 10:30 PM
Brazil (BRT): 2:00 PM
South Africa & Egypt (SAST/EET): 7:00 PM
Singapore (SST): 1:00 AM (Monday)
Turkey (EEST): 8:00 PM
How to Watch the Race Live
Fans around the globe can catch the action on the following broadcasters:
UK: Sky Sports
USA: ESPN / ESPN Deportes
Australia: Fox Sports, Kayo, Network Ten
Japan: Fuji TV, DAZN
Italy: Sky Italia
Spain: DAZN F1
Germany: Sky Deutschland
France: Canal+
Mexico: Fox Sports Mexico
Netherlands: Viaplay
China: CCTV, Tencent
Canada: TSN, RDS, Noovo
Singapore: beIN SPORTS
Belgium: RTBF, Play Sports
Hungary: M4
With a front-row showdown between Verstappen and Piastri, Mercedes lurking right behind, and several drivers out of position looking to fight back, fans are in for a dramatic race through the streets of Jeddah.
