In a thrilling Qualifying held under the floodlights, Red Bull’s Max Verstappen stormed to pole position for the FORMULA 1 STC SAUDI ARABIAN GRAND PRIX. The reigning World Champion edged out McLaren’s Oscar Piastri by just 0.01 seconds with a stunning lap of 1m27.294s — the fastest ever recorded around the Jeddah Corniche Circuit — at an average speed of 254.615 km/h.
“The car came alive in the night,” said a delighted Verstappen. Mercedes’ George Russell took third, while the biggest shock of the session was Lando Norris crashing out at Turn 5. After running wide over the kerb, Norris lost control and hit the wall — bringing out the red flags and ensuring he’ll start today’s race from tenth on the grid.
With a rapid McLaren beneath him, the Championship leader could still be a major factor when the lights go out at 8pm tonight. Just behind the top three, Charles Leclerc will line up fourth for Ferrari, with Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli impressing once again in fifth.
As the sun set over the Red Sea last night, 17-year-old Red Bull Junior Arvid Lindblad made history by becoming the youngest ever Formula 2 race winner. He inherited the win after Richard Verschoor, who had crossed the line first, was handed a five-second penalty for forcing Josep María Martí off track at Turn 1.
Lindblad had earlier passed his Campos team-mate Martí for second — a move that became the race-winning overtake once Verschoor’s penalty was applied. Jak Crawford was the race’s only retirement after a spin and he’ll be looking to turn his fortunes around when he starts on pole for the Feature Race at 4.25pm later today.
In F1 ACADEMY, McLaren’s Ella Lloyd delivered a commanding performance to take her first win. Starting on the front row, she seized the lead at Turn 1 and never looked back. After a Safety Car restart, Lloyd pulled clear to take victory ahead of Ferrari’s Maya Weug and Alisha Palmowski.
Despite receiving a five-second penalty for a false start, Wild Card entrant Farah AlYousef finished 16th. Later this afternoon, Chloe Chambers will be chasing her own moment of glory as she starts from pole in Race 2 at 3.05pm.
Off-track, the weekend has been just as spectacular. On Saturday night, global icon Jennifer Lopez lit up the Fan Zone with a headline performance. The multi-platinum A-lister thrilled the crowd with a high-energy set packed with hits. And more stars are set to shine tonight. After the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, R&B legend Usher will take to the main stage to close out the event. Known for his chart-topping anthems, he’s expected to deliver an unforgettable finale for the fans in Jeddah.
The stage is set for another thrilling race under the lights at a circuit known for its speed, unpredictability and spectacle. All eyes are on Jeddah for the fifth edition of the FORMULA 1 STC SAUDI ARABIAN GRAND PRIX which starts at 8pm.
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