The Saudi Arabian Grand Prix was not one that Lewis Hamilton enjoyed as he continues to struggle since joining Ferrari, while Max Verstappen and Lando Norris also didn’t have the weekends they wanted
If we didn’t already know it, we’ve now been fully made aware that Oscar Piastri is a bona fide championship contender. Much of the pre-season hype was around Lando Norris but the Brit’s victory on the opening day of the season remains his only win of 2025.
Since then, it has largely been the Piastri show. And he showed his remarkable calmness and immense talent in Jeddah to fend off the challenge of Max Verstappen, getting the better of the Dutchman in wheel-to-wheel combat to make it three wins from five Grands Prix already.
In just his third Formula 1 season, he is proving himself a genuine superstar of the future. But as for today’s big names, the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix didn’t provide much for them to be happy about.
Norris missed out on the podium after his crash in qualifying while Verstappen was angry after a penalty cost him the chance to secure a second win of the year. But neither suffered like Lewis Hamilton who started seventh, finished there and was thoroughly miserable afterwards.
If you want all the key reaction from the Jeddah race, we’ve got you covered. Mirror Sport has all the major headlines after the final race of the season’s first triple-header:
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Lewis Hamilton gives up already
It certainly hasn’t been the move Hamilton would have dreamed about when he decided to join Ferrari. His sprint race win in China last month aside, his results and form have been dreadful and the seven-time champion has already admitted that his maiden campaign in red has become a bit of a write-off.
“At the moment there’s no fix. So, this is how it’s going to be for the rest of the year. It’s going to be painful,” he said glumly. All the more galling for Hamilton was the fact Charles Leclerc drove the same car to the podium in Jeddah, but he still can’t unlock its potential.
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Martin Brundle ‘not buying’ Ferrari excuse
The most-offered explanation for Hamilton’s struggles is that he is finding it tough to adapt to his new car. And it is certainly true that some sort of culture shock is to be expected given Hamilton spent 12 years driving a Mercedes before his move and his entire F1 career using engines made by the Silver Arrows.
But Martin Brundle isn’t sure about that being the only explanation. “I struggle to buy into, ‘He doesn’t understand the car, it’s a new car’,” the Sky Sports pundit said. “We are knocking on the door of May and they had all the pre-season stuff. I just think that Lewis hasn’t gelled with this car and I don’t think he’s going the right way on the setup.”
Footage shows Max Verstappen exchange with FIA chief
Verstappen did a good job of keeping his opinions to himself while clearly seething under the surface about the penalty that cost him dearly in Jeddah. But before he faced any interviews on the matter, he had the chance to vent some of his anger at FIA president Mohammed ben Sulayem.
In footage not broadcast on TV, which has circulated on social media, Verstappen can be seen making animated gestures with his arms while speaking to Ben Sulayem, who approached the Red Bull racer in parc ferme moments after he had climbed out of his car.
Lando Norris snaps at question
McLaren have undoubtedly had the quickest cars so far this season but Norris is already tired of people, in his view, over-egging the advantage they have. “People just keep coming up with all this crap,” he fumed when it was brought up again after the Jeddah race.
He added: “They can keep saying what they want. We don’t believe we’re much ahead, as showed. I think probably Max was the quickest out there today, if he didn’t have that five-second penalty. So we have work to do.”
