Oscar Piastri can take the lead from McLaren teammate Lando Norris in Jeddah

JEDDAH – McLaren’s Oscar Piastri has a personal target this weekend – to become Australia’s first Formula One championship leader in 15 years if he wins for the third time this season in Saudi Arabia on April 20.

The 24-year-old, one of four drivers who could end the week on top after a tiring “triple header” run of races on three successive weekends, won in Hungary and Azerbaijan last season and is the only repeat winner so far in 2025.

He has the momentum, the confidence and the car to beat leading teammate Lando Norris as he seeks to add Jeddah’s fast and floodlit street circuit to his victory list, which contains Shanghai and Bahrain as well.

Currently three points adrift of Norris (77 points), who has led since the Melbourne opener, Piastri won in Bahrain from pole position with fastest lap the last time out.

He beat his teammate in Saudi Arabia last season, finishing fourth to Norris’ eighth, and is now a step away from emulating manager Mark Webber, who led the standings with Red Bull in 2010.

“Jeddah is a track I really enjoy and have good memories of from past visits. I’m determined to hit the ground running in Saudi,” said Piastri.

Norris, who was highly self-critical of his third-placed performance in Bahrain despite four podiums from four starts, is also keen to pick up speed in the fifth edition of the race on the shores of the Red Sea.

“Congrats to Oscar and the whole McLaren team. And I’ll try step it up for next weekend,” the Briton said on April 13.

Red Bull’s four-time world champion Max Verstappen, winner in Japan but eight points behind Norris, will seek to deny McLaren at a circuit that has been good to him in the past.

The 27-year-old Dutchman was the winner last season and in 2022, but this time he is more of an outsider after a tough night under the floodlights in Bahrain where he finished sixth.

“Typically, there is less tyre degradation at this circuit. So it naturally should be a better race for us. We have a final push with this being the third race and final weekend of the triple header so, hopefully, we can find more pace and bring out a performance similar to Japan,” he said.

Britain’s George Russell is the fourth possible leader, albeit 14 points adrift of Norris at present, with the Mercedes driver in fine form but still chasing a first win of the year.

“Jeddah poses a different challenge. It would be foolish to try and predict the likely order, but we will be aiming to fight for the podium once again,” said team boss Toto Wolff.

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, who set the fastest lap in Jeddah in 2024, is fifth overall and 45 points behind Norris.

Further back, the weekend is an anniversary for Haas rookie Oliver Bearman, who made a sensational debut at the Jeddah circuit with Ferrari as a stand-in last season.

The Briton has started his first full season strongly, scoring points in three of four races, including 10th from last place in Bahrain.

“I’m very excited to return to Jeddah, it’s the first repeat race of my career which is pretty cool,” he said.

“Having had the experience of last year was very nice and helpful and was a highlight of my life so far, having my debut with Ferrari, that track will always hold a special place in my heart.”

Every team have opened their account now but three rookies – Alpine’s Jack Doohan, Sauber’s Gabriel Bortoleto and Racing Bulls’ Liam Lawson – have yet to score along with Aston Martin’s double world champion Fernando Alonso. REUTERS