Piastri wins Saudi Arabia GP after Verstappen penalty

Berlin (dpa)

Oscar Piastri made the most of a five-second penalty for Max Verstappen to claim a third season victory at the Saudi Arabia Grand Prix on Sunday which sent him to the top of the Formula One championship.

McLaren's Piastri won from reigning champion Verstappen of Red Bull who had started from pole but then cut an early corner in a fight for the lead with Piastri which was deemed gaining an advantage and penalised by race stewards.

Ferrari's Charles Leclerc had a strong race to finish third, and Lando Norris was fourth in the second McLaren in a recovery from 10th on the grid due to a crash in qualifying.

Related News

US President arrives in Riyadh, welcomed by Saudi Crown Prince

UAE President receives invitation from Custodian of Two Holy Mosques to attend Gulf-US Summit in Riyadh; invitation received by Omar Obaid Alshamsi, MoFA Under-Secretary

But it was not good enough to stay first in the championship as Piastri dethroned him at the top after five races.

Verstappen is also in the mix with another strong showing including his surprise pole, which however did not transform into a race win like two weeks ago in Japan. But he showed again that he can match the superior McLarens.