2025 F1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix: What is the starting lineup?

The qualifying for the 2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix has concluded, with Max Verstappen claiming pole position for the main race. The Dutch driver recorded the fastest lap time following a masterfully executed strategy with his team.

The Red Bull driver pulled off an incredible performance on two separate tire compounds to beat Oscar Piastri to the highest starting spot on the grid. Verstappen's blistering final run saw him set a new qualifying lap record at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix — 1:27.294 — eclipsing the 1:27.472 benchmark he recorded in 2024.

Piastri was not far behind Verstappen, as the McLaren driver was just (+0.010) off the pole lap time of the Red Bull driver. The Australian will start on the front row alongside him. Following closely in third place was George Russell, who was less than two-tenths off the fastest time set on the night.

Russell will start on the second row alongside Charles Leclerc, who was the quickest of the two Ferraris during the session. On the third row for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix will be Kimi Antonelli in fifth, alongside Carlos Sainz, who recorded his best-ever start so far for the Williams team.

It was another frustrating outing for Lewis Hamilton, as he could only muster a seventh-place starting position alongside Japanese driver Yuki Tsunoda in eighth. Rounding out the top 10 for the Jeddah event are Pierre Gasly in ninth and Lando Norris in 10th. The Brit suffering a crash when he hit a barrier at the exit of Turn 6 during his flying lap.

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Full starting grid - 2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix

#1 Max Verstappen - Red Bull Racing

#2 Oscar Piastri - McLaren

#3 George Russell - Mercedes AMG

#4 Charles Leclerc - Scuderia Ferrari

# 5 Kimi Antonelli - Mercedes AMG

#6 Carlos Sainz - Williams

#7 Lewis Hamilton - Scuderia Ferrari

#8 Yuki Tsunoda - Red Bull Racing

#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 Oliver Bearman - Haas

#16 Lance Stroll - Aston Martin

#17 Jack Doohan - Alpine

#18 Nico Hulkenberg - Kick Sauber

#19 Esteban Ocon - Haas

#20 Gabriel Bortoleto - Kick Sauber

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Oscar Piastri reacts to missing out on the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix pole position

Oscar Piastri has reacted after narrowly missing out on pole position for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix to Max Verstappen. The McLaren driver missed out on pole by one one-hundredth of a second to the Dutch driver.

Piastri, who starts on the front row for the Jeddah event alongside Verstappen, detailed that “there wasn't much more” he could have done to seal pole position on the night. The 24-year-old, speaking to the media as shared by Fastest Pitstop on X (formerly Twitter), said:

"There wasn't much more left in it, so happy with the lap I did. The last lap felt like more or less the best I could have done. Max did a good job at another high-speed circuit, where they seem to do well.”

Piastri also touched on the complex nature of the Jeddah Corniche Circuit, highlighting how easy it is for a driver to lose momentum on such a challenging layout.

"It's tough around here. Once you fall out of rhythm, it is hard to get back into it. It's a difficult track for sure, but at night, soft tyres, high grip — it is one of the best tracks we go to."

Piastri’s best result at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix is the fourth-place finish he recorded during the 2024 edition of the event. The Australian driver, who is in the fight for the 2025 Drivers’ Championship, will hope for a better outing when the lights go out for the main race on Sunday.