Max Verstappen delivered an incredible performance to clinch pole position in qualifying for the Miami Grand Prix. The reigning world champion going fastest from Lando Norris and Kimi Antonelli despite a slight error on his final run.
After Verstappen claimed provisional pole during the early runs of Q3 but just 0.003s from Norris, the Dutchman’s prospects during his closing effort looked to be at risk after a wobble in the first corner. The Red Bull man still went fastest on a 1m 26.204s, six-hundredths clear of Norris who apologised to his team for taking too much kerb on his lap.
The full top 10 are- Pole: Verstappen, P2: Norris, P3: Antonelli, P4: Piastri, P5: Russell, P6: Sainz, P7: Albon, P8: Leclerc, P9: Ocon and P10: Tsunoda.
What a result for the Dutchman! Just what he would’ve wanted going into the weekend, he will be looking to grab the win later on today and close in on the drivers’ championship. As for his teammate, Yuki Tsunoda finished qualifying in 10th. A lot better than the Sprint Qualifying, but still needs to do some work to be closer to his teammate.
A good result for Norris P2, it seems like his last lap really cost him, it’s still a good result, but I know he’d be kicking himself for the mistake. His teammate qualified fourth, a good result too. They will both be aiming for podiums / potential wins today.
Now onto Antonelli! The Italian is on fire this weekend, he has qualified third for the Grand Prix. He seems to have found really good form this weekend and its great to see. As for Russell, he seems to be struggling a lot this weekend, he still qualified 5th which isn’t too bad but it will be interesting to see how the race goes for him.
P6 for Carlos Sainz and P7 for Alex Albon, what a performance from the Williams boys! They have seemed to excel this weekend and it is great to see. Hopefully with a good strategy they can score some decent points.
P8 for Leclerc, not the best result for the Ferrari driver, and as for his teammate Hamilton qualified 12th. Poor performance from the team, but hopefully they have some strategies for both drivers to help them move up to grab those all important points.
Kimi Antonelli has clinched his debut pole position after delivering a stunning lap during Sprint Qualifying at the Miami Grand Prix, the Italian holding off the challenge from both McLaren’s to become the youngest polesitter ever – in any race format – in F1.
A thrilling conclusion to SQ3 saw the name at the top of the timesheets change more than once, with Max Verstappen initially beating George Russell’s benchmark – only for Antonelli to surge through with an effort of 1m 26.482s at the wheel of the Mercedes.
Oscar Piastri fell short by just 0.045s in second, while fellow McLaren driver Lando Norris had to settle for third.
The full top 10 are- Pole: Antonelli, P2: Piastri, P3: Norris, P4: Verstappen, P5: Russell, P6: Leclerc, P7: Hamilton, P8: Albon, P9: Hadjar and P10: Alonso.
What a result from Antonelli! First ever pole position and what a way to do it! A great result for the Italian and a promising start to the weekend! Hopefully he can turn it into a Sprint win. As for his teammate, Russell qualified 5th, not a bad result as it was very close between the top 6.
A good result for McLaren P2 and P3. They’ve got a good opportunity for the sprint race, this should boost Norris’s confidence a bit more now, as he has seem to struggled this season.
A decent result for Verstappen, P4 for the four time world champion! As for his teammate Tsunoda was out in SQ1 after failing to make it to the line to start a lap, very unfortunate for him.
A decent result for Ferrari, 6th for Leclerc and 7th for Hamilton, a good result for the team and potential for some points today in the sprint race.
A good result for Albon, P8! I think this is now just the normal for Williams, a familiar face in the top 10’s now.
P10 for Alonso, nice to see him making an appearance in the top 10, he will be looking to see if the Aston Martin car can get into the points.
Formula 1 moves from shore to shore, from the Red Seas to the Atlantic Ocean, from the Asian continent to North America and from Saudi Arabia to the United States.
The Miami Grand Prix is the first of three to be held in the United States this year, as has been the case since 2023, with the Floridian round joining the calendar in 2022. The race is held on a track around the Hard Rock Stadium, home to Miami Dolphins NFL team and one of nine ATP Masters venues.
The compounds chosen by Pirelli is the same as that used a fortnight ago in Saudi Arabia. C3 (Hard), C4 (Medium), C5 (Soft), just as in Jeddah, this is a step softer than last season.
The surface of the track that runs around the stadium is very smooth, exposing the tyres to moderate longitudinal and lateral forces. Thermal degradation will be a major factor, as temperatures are expected to be very high, given that last year’s track temperature exceeded 55°C.
The surface was relaid in 2023, as with the other temporary Grand Prix circuits, grip levels will increase significantly the more the track rubbers-in across the weekend.
The Miami International Autodrome is 5.412 kilometres long, the race being run over 57 laps. The layout incorporates parking lots, service roads and some public roads with a total of 19 corners, seven to the right and 12 to the left.
So far, the Miami Grand Prix has been a one-stop race, including last year’s. The medium tyre was the tyre of choice for the opening stint for 15 of the 20 drivers, before a switch mainly to the hard, with just a couple of drivers opting for the soft tyre, which actually displayed relatively low degradation.
The @f1miami is the first of three to be held in the United States this year, as has been the case since 2023, with the Floridian round joining the calendar in 2022, a few months after Jeddah made its debut. Read more about it here 👉https://t.co/MGKmNe83BM#F1#MiamiGPpic.twitter.com/GpDLZys5m3
Morgan Stanley, the first financial services partner of the all-female series, will support Ava Dobson as she races in Miami in a firm-branded bespoke livery and race suit.
American driver Dobson will join the F1 Academy grid on home soil as the Wild Card entry for Round 3 in Miami. Supported by Morgan Stanley, the 16 year old will take to the track in a Morgan Stanley branded bespoke livery and race suit operated by Hitech TGR car.
Dobson, who fails from Milwaukee, began competing in open-wheel racing in 2023 in the Formula 4 US Championship and was awarded a Parella Motorsports Holdings Powering Diversity Scholarship, alongside racing in the USF Juniors and USF2000.
Venturing over to Europe for a two-round appearance in the GB4 Championship the following year, 2025 has seen Dobson return for a full campaign, with her scoring points across the first two rounds in Donington Park and Silverstone.
We are very proud to have Morgan Stanley on board as the inaugural financial services partner of F1 ACADEMY, in the firm’s first foray into motorsport sponsorship. It is fantastic to see Morgan Stanley, a brand that has driven excellence and innovation for 90 years, investing in women’s sport and championing female talent in motorsport. Susie Wolff, Managing Director of F1 Academy.
Kick Sauber have revealed a striking special livery that will adorn their car for the Miami Grand Prix weekend, with the design inspired by the vibrant art scene of the city.
Described as a “bold canvas of modern art” the one off colour scheme is dominated by neon green paint, designed to evoke the feeling of freshly applied paint as if completed by the artist before the cars hit the track.
To match the special livery of the C45, drivers Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto will be wearing race suits that reflect the theme, while the design is also set to feature throughout the team’s garage and on pit stop equipment.
With this marking Kick Sauber’s first new look of the campaign, the squad have promised that there will be further surprises and special moments to come in the year ahead.
This livery is more than just a new look – it’s a celebration of Miami’s creative spirit and our commitment to energising the sport for our fans. Our objective when developing this livery with Stake was to stand out, not only for our dedication on the track, but also for our boldness and creativity off track. Our team is dedicated to creating memorable moments and engaging experiences, and this Miami special is a perfect example of that. Stefano Battiston, Chief Commercial Officer.
Formula E has announced it will continue running the London E-Prix around the Excel exhibition centre until at least 2026, with the indoor/outdoor spectacle allowing both parties to drive their commitments to sustainability and the environment.
Formula E brings a global television audience to Excel London, a unique event for the exhibition centre as it is the only one of over 300 events held annually to utilise its entire 125,000 square metres of space.
The race itself catches the eye as it passes through the exhibition space while also running externally parallel to the building, allowing Formula E to stage a race in the capital of the United Kingdom, just a stone’s throw away from the centre of London.
But, for all of those shared positives, the alliance – which has now been extended until at least 2026 and the end of the series’ GEN3 Evo cars – also sees the all-electric series align with the Excel London on their shared green ambitions.
The first race at the Excel took place in during season seven, a double-header in July 2021 that marked Formula E’s return to London following a five-year absence, having previously been located in Battersea Park.
Formula E has formally announced the extension of its contract with Excel London until at least 2026, allowing the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship to continue using the world’s first and only indoor-outdoor racetrack until the end of its GEN3 Evo era. The extension means that the East London location is predicted to host the final race of the season 12 calendar, where 22 world-class drivers will compete for the coveted drivers’, teams’ and manufacturers’ world championship trophies. The contract extension also means fans will be able to see the full GEN3 Evo lifespan race as this generation of car will take to the track for the final time in the UK ahead of the much-anticipated all-new GEN4-spec car in late 2026. A statement confirming the deal.
We’re pleased to extend our relationship with Excel London, which has been a perfect home for Formula E over the last few years. Its unique track conditions and event space offers fans and drivers the very best of our sport, bringing the best racing and entertainment together in a truly unique venue at the heart of the capital, while all delivered sustainably. Alberto Longo, Formula E Chief Championship Officer.
Lola Cars and Yamaha Motor are set to continue their technical partnership through Formula E’s GEN4 era.
The companies will continue working together to develop their 2026/27 powertrain, which will be introduced in Season 13 – with significant advancements in energy efficiency, race performance and safety to follow.
The partnership say this continued collaboration provides the perfect platform for Lola and Yamaha Motor to advance technologies that will shape the future of mobility, leveraging the high performance and high pressure motorsport environment.
They join Nissan, Jaguar, Porsche and Maserati as the confirmed manufacturers for Formula E’s next major leap.
Working alongside Yamaha Motor on the development of the powertrain the Lola Yamaha ABT team is currently using in Formula E has been a mutually beneficial and positive experience. Having already committed to GEN4 ourselves, I’m so pleased that Yamaha Motor will be continuing this journey in electric racing with us. With their vast experience and commitment to advancing sustainable mobility, they are the perfect partner for Lola Cars and we look forward to continuing to drive innovation through motorsport with them. Till Bechtolsheimer, Chairman of Lola Cars.
Yamaha Motor is accelerating its research and development of various technologies to acquire and enhance new core technologies that will provide Kando [a Japanese expression for the simultaneous feelings of deep satisfaction and intense excitement that we experience when we encounter something of exceptional value] to our fans and contribute to sustainability in the future. One of these initiatives is the acquisition of advanced energy management technology that will be honed in Formula E. We will continue to take on the challenge into the GEN4 era as a technical partner of Lola Cars. We are very proud and excited to enhance our technology on the world’s highest stage of electric racing with our reliable partner. Heiji Maruyama, Managing Executive Office and Director of Yamaha Motor.
The continued partnership between Lola Cars and Yamaha Motor into the GEN4 era of Formula E underscores the championship’s pivotal role in driving technological innovation for sustainable mobility. With the significant performance advancements planned for GEN4, this collaboration will undoubtedly push the boundaries of electric powertrain development, showcasing the cutting-edge technology that Formula E champions. We’re thrilled to see these industry leaders commit to our vision of a future where high-performance and sustainability go hand-in-hand. Jeff Dodds, CEO of Formula E.
Oliver Askew has rejoined the Andretti Formula E team, reuniting with the team with which he contested his sole season in the electric open-wheel category in 2021-22.
The American will serve as an additional reserve driver for the team alongside compatriot Jak Crawford, stepping in when Crawford – who is competing in Formula 2 this year – is unavailable.
Askew contested the final season of Formula E’s GEN2 ruleset for Andretti, finishing in the points three times. Including on his debut in Diriyah, and later taking a best result of fourth in the first race of that season’s London E-Prix.
Askew’s first race trackside was the Miami E-Prix on April 12th, when Crawford was in Bahrain.
Prior to that, Askew took the 2019 Indy Lights title with Andretti, winning seven times – including four times on the bounce in the second half of the season. He went on to graduate to the IndyCar series with Arrow McLaren SP the following year.
As well as being on-hand to step in the absence of the team’s race drivers Jake Dennis and Nico Mueller, as well as Crawford, Askew will contribute to the development of Andretti’s Porsche 99X Electric by working in the team’s simulator to test software updates and refine car setups.
I’m thrilled to reunite with this talented team, especially since so many familiar faces from Season 8 are still onboard. I can’t wait to dive in and support the team in fine-tuning the car on the simulator as we push through the rest of the season together. Askew on the news.
While Jak remains our primary reserve and development driver, due to overlapping calendars with Formula E and Formula 2, it’s an advantage for us to have the ability to bring in an additional reserve driver – particularly someone of Oliver’s caliber – in such a demanding championship. Oliver’s prior experience with our team and knowledgeable understanding of the series make him an excellent fit, and we’re confident he will provide valuable input behind the scenes. Roger Griffiths, Team Principal.
Ryo Hirakawa has left Alpine to become a Formula 1 reserve driver for Haas immediately after impressing for Alpine in the Japanese Grand Prix Practice at Suzuka.
Having been a Toyota affiliated driver throughout his career and won two World Endurance Championship titles and a Le Mans 24 Hours with the firm. The 31 year old Japanese driver, seemed a good fit for Haas given its new relationship with Toyota and he had already driver for – and impressed – the team in Abu Dhabi post season testing last year.
But in early January Hirakawa was a surprise announcement as another Alpine reserve driver, joining Franco Colapinto and Paul Aron in the team’s pool.
It was stated he would carry out simulator work and Testing of Previous Car (TPC) running, as well as driving for the team in Suzuka opening practice.
Hirakawa’s other practice outings for Haas this season will take place in Spain, Mexico and Abu Dhabi,
It’s great to welcome Ryō to MoneyGram Haas F1 Team and have his experience bolster our knowledge and understanding of the VF-25. His feedback was very detailed at the post-season test last year, so being able to provide Ryo valuable track time across four different circuits this year will help the entire team. As part of our collaboration with Toyota Gazoo Racing, it’s great to welcome new talent into the team – it’s a real pleasure to work with a racer of his driving acumen. Haas team principal, Ayao Komatsu.
Pole-sitter Verschoor has a great start to retain the lead while Marti jumped ahead of Gabriele Mini to take second after lining up in P3, going around the outside of the PREMA driver at Turn 1.
Lindblad also had a good first lap for Campos, going from sixth on the grid to fourth, and he was right on the back of Mini going into the final corner of the first lap.
However, the Brit’s progress was briefly halted as the Virtual Safety Car was deployed with the marshals having to clear Cian Shields’ car from the track. Racing resumed on Lap 3 and both Campos drivers were flying. First Lndblad used the DRS to get ahead of Mini going into the final corner.
His teammate Marti then went around the outside again at Turn 1 to start Lap 4, this time on Verschoor to take the lead of the race. Verschoor though returned the favour on the next lap, pulling off a similar move on the Campos driver to retake the position.
Crucially though, his overtake later earned him his five-second time penalty after being judged to have forced Marti off track to complete the move.
Onto Lap 6 and the race began to settle down as the drivers looked to manage their medium tyres. Out in front, Verschoor had pulled out a 1.5s gap on Marti, who was now coming under pressure from Lindblad.
The change for P2 came on Lap 8 as Marti ran wide at Turn 8, giving Lindblad the position. The Spaniard went off line again at the final corner and this time it was Mini who overtook him.
However, the Campos driver retook the position with the help of DRS down the main straight. Mini then lost fourth place to Stanek at Turn 27, but their battle allowed Dunne to close in. The trio went three-wide into Turn 1, and the Rodin Motorsport driver came out on top to take 4th.
As Lap 15 got underway, Jak Crawford used DRS to get ahead of Leonardo Fornaroli into Turn 1, pushing the DAMS Lucas Oil driver up to seventh.
The American was flying and was right on the back of Mini through the entirety of the lap. He looked to make another move into Turn 1 but collided with the PREMA driver before spinning into a stoppage, bringing out the Safety Car.
Action resumed on Lap 18 and Verschoor stayed ahead of Lindblad, but Mini’s struggles continued, as Fornaroli overtook him for P6 down the main straight.
DRS was enabled on Lap 19, but Verschoor was 1.2s ahead of Lindblad as they approached the second sector.
On to the final lap, and Verschoor’s penalty was confirmed meaning that while the MP driver crossed the line first, Lindblad followed and claimed P1,, making him the youngest winner in the Championship’s history.
Crawford covered off Martins from the front row, while Sprint Race winner Arvid Linblad lost fifth to Alexander Dunne at Turn 4 after losing a battle with Luke Browning for P4 at the opening chicane.
Josep Maria Marti then relegated Lindblad to seventh on Lap 2, passing around the outside at Turns 1 and 2 as the Campos Racing teammates kept itc clean going wheel-to-wheel.
Having been cooped up underneath the rear wing of the Invicta Racing driver for several laps, Browning used DRS along the main straight to take third from Leonardo Fornaroli on Lap 6. Dunne made a late dive to bump the Italian down another position into Turn 1.
Fornaroli, Marti and Gabriele Mini were in on Lap 7 for their mandatory pitstops and switched to the Medium tyres. It promoted Verschoor into free air in fifth, the MP driver in the highest placed car on the alternative strategy having started on the yellow-walled compound.
Leader Crawford pitted on the following lap, as did Browning and Dunne from the top five, they then rejoined in 11th, 12th and 13th respectively.
Dunne and Browning went side by side into Turn 1 but the Rodin driver went deep into the corner and rejoined, baulking Browning and allowing Fornaroli to sneak by both for 11th on the road.
The Virtual Safety Car was then deployed to recover debris on track just before Martins and Crawford reached the first DRS zone of the lap, allowing the ART driver some respite with his tyres not yet up to racing temperature.
The VSC was withdrawn towards the end of Lap 19 and Crawford on the rear wing of the effective race leader. The DAMS driver used DRS to get alongside the Frenchman into Turn 1, and the duo went side by side all the way to Turn 4.
Crawford got a great exit from Turn 27 to set up the pass on the following lap, taking ninth on the road from Martins with DRS along the main striaght.
Behind them, Browning had Dunne, Marti and Mini for close company and the Spaniard made the first move, diving to the inside of the Rodin rookie at Turn 27 to P13.
Race leader, Verschoor was carrying on nicely. He had a comfortable gap back to second placed Kush Maini and continued to lap quicker than Crawford, with several purple sector times and fastest laps approaching 10 laps to go.
By Lap 24, the Dutch driver had a 26.8s gap over Crawford and the MP driver was into the pitlane for his switch to Supersofts. With a clean stop, he rejoined behind Crawford but crucially ahead of Martins in P4.
With four laps to go, Verschoor was three seconds back from Crawford. Across the line into the final three laps, it was down to 2.5s and onto the penultimate tour, the Dutch driver cut the deficit to 1.3s.
Through the first sector on Lap 27 and Verschoor was into DRS range on the DAMS driver ahead. Out of Turn 27 and he was right underneath the rear wing and across the line with DRS, Verschoor surged by for the race lead on the final lap.
The Dutch driver claimed victory with a redemption drive. Crawford was second ahead of Martins, who held off Fornaroli for the final spot on the podium.
The full top 10 are- P1: Verschoor, P2: Crawford, P3: Martins, P4: Fornaroli, P5: Marti, P6: Browning, P7: Lindblad, P8: Dunne, P9: Mini and P10: Maini.
Maya Weug got Round 2 off to a strong start as the Ferrari driver snatched the fastest time away from Alisha Palmowski with a last-gasp effort as the chequered flag was flown.
It was nip and tuck at the top of the timing sheets, with the leading duo separated by 0.030s followed by Standings leader Doriane Pin in third.
With 40 minutes to get reacquainted with both the low-grip and the scorching temperatures, the field headed out for their installation laps. It would take 10 minutes before Nicole Havrda got the first time of the day on the board with a 2:11.374.
Pin would immediately lower the early benchmark to a 2:07.687 before moving into the 2:06s. Weug was next to go quickest on a 2:06.286 and then clocked in an improved time to put a six tenths buffer between herself and Pin, with Lia Block a further two tenths back in third.
Palmowski was the next driver to move into second, reducing the gap out front to four tenths. Exploring the limits, Farah AlYousef brought out the yellow flags with 15 minutes remaining after the Wild Card driver spun on to the run-off into the final corner.
Into the final three minutes, Pin seized the P1 spot on a 2:05.610, pipping Wug by 0.06s. However the times weren’t done falling yet as Weug restored herself to the top of the order moments before the chequered flag came out.
A last second improvement to 2:-5.387 from Palmowski seemed to get the job done by 0.052s, but Weug had one final push remaining to regain the fastest lap of the session with a 2:05.357.
Qualifying-
Chloe Chambers lit up the Jeddah Corniche Circuit to claim her first pole position in F1 Academy, winning out in a late three-car battle in qualifying.
The Red Bull Ford driver stamped her mark on the timesheets with three minutes to go and nobody’s final attempts could touch her 2:04.320. Doriane Pin was her closest rival in second, two and a half tenths back as Maya Weug completed the top three.
Bolting on a fresh set of Pirelli tyres for Qualifying under the floodlights, Ella Lloyd got the first time on the board, posting a 2:06.550 with a big lock-up from the McLaren driver into the final corner. Despite improving to a 2:06.307 on her next attempt, she was demoted to P2 by practice pace-setter Weug, who went 0.480s clear of Lloyd and her Rodin Motorsport teammates Chloe Chong and Emma Felbermayr.
Their early rhythm would be interrupted by the Red Flag at the 23 minute mark as Lia Block clipped the inside wall into the final corner and crashed into the barrier.
Once running resumed, the drivers squabbled over track position but Lloyd took advantage of her clean air to go top on a 2:05.635. This was only for Weug to once again eclipse her by 0.051s ahead of Alba Larsen who moved her Tommy Hilfiger can into the top three.
Another flying lap complete and Alisha Palmowski was next to go fastest, but the Red Bull Racing driver’s hold would be brief. Chambers rose to the top of the timing screens, three tenths clear of Larsen.
Whilst several of her rivals pitted around the halfway point, Chambers pushed on, becoming the first driver into the 2:04s. Her Campos Racing teammate Palmowski who also improved, closing to within 0.063s of the American.
Palmowski wasn’t done there, going fastest of all on a 2:04.864. Pin, who languished down in P11, then shot up to the top of the order by 0.048s. Benefitting from the tow behind Lloyd, Chambers threw down the gauntlet with a 2:04.320 to take provisional pole.
Pin’s final two attempts weren’t enough to deny Campos their second pole position in F1 Academy, although the Mercedes driver did reduce the deficit down to two tenths.
Weug’s last-gasp improvement at the chequered flag was enough for third, with the rest of the top six holding firm. The top 10 are- Pole: Chambers, P2: Pin, P3: Weug, P4: Palmowski, P5: Larsen, P6: Hausmann, P7: Llloyd, P8: Felbermayr, P9: Gademan and P10: Chong.
Day 2, Race 1-
Ella Lloyd claimed a masterful maiden F1 Academy victory around the Jeddah Corniche Circuit as she seized the lead from her Rodin Motorsport teammate Emma Felbermayr at the first corner to win race 1.
Despite a tantalising Safety Car restart, and immense pressure from Ferrari’s Maya Weug, the McLaren driver maintained first position all the way to the chequered flag.
Although Felbermayr started on reverse grid pole, it was Lloyd who got the better launch at lights out as she sailed into the lead of the race, quickly establishing a sturdy gap back to her teammate. There was another great start for Palmowski down in P5 – she charged through to break into the top three, surviving an additional challenge from Alba Larsen before she masterfully took P2 on the road from Felbermayr.
The drivers jostled for position across the field throughout the opening laps, with Mercedes’ Doriane Pin getting stuck into an intense battle with Tina Hausmann as Weug improved to P3 just ahead.
Further back, disaster struck for Lia Block, who failed to qualify for a second round in a row – the American crashed out of the session.
Whilst fighting to progress up the order, Block was tagged from behind by Haas driver Courtney Crone, spinning her car to face in the wrong direction on track. She managed to get going once again, but it was a different story for Chloe Chong, whose car was damaged as she tried to take avoiding action in the incident.
The chaos triggered an appearance by the Safety Car to neutralise the pack, putting Lloyd under pressure to execute a flawless restart.
Meanwhile, Felbermayr lost out for a second time as she dropped two positions to Pin and Hausmann. The Mercedes driver, and leader in the Drivers’ standings, then set out to hunt down Larsen in P4, with the two battling around the circuit until Pin finally claimed the spot with a superb overtake down the inside on Lap 9.
A flurry of penalties were dealt out on the next lap – Wild Card driver Farah AlYousef received a five-second penalty for a false start, while Crone was handed a 10 second penalty for causing a collision with Block.
Back at the front, there was no time to take a breath even as Race 1 neared its end. On Lap 12 of 13, Ferrari driver Weug skilfully snatched P2 from Palmowski, leaving the latter at the mercy of Pin.
Despite Lloyd’s earlier dominance, Weug was just half a second behind on the final lap, filling the British racer’s mirrors as the two fought in a drag race to chequered flag. Just one-tenth separated the duo over the line, but Lloyd held on brilliantly to secure her first victory in the series.
Maya Weug battled relentlessly to claim her first win of the season ahead of Chloe Chambers, with the Red Bull Ford driver finishing first on the road before being demoted to due to a penalty that arose for her intense on track contest with the Ferrari driver.
It was a flawless getaway for first-time polesitter Chambers despite the pressure of Doriane Pin lining up alongside her, who dominated in Jeddah last season. The American executed a strong launch while Pin lost her P2 spot to the charging Weug.
Focusing on keeping the gap to Chambers as small as possible, the Ferrari driver kicked off a thrilling wheel-to-wheel battle for first place on the track – an attempted overtake round the outside of the American resulted in Weug taking a trip onto the run-off area.
But the fight at the front was far from over as Weug rattled over the kerb to send her car momentarily into the air, once again forcing her to drive wide and allowing Chambers to reclaim the lead.
Chambers began to build a small lead over her rivals, getting up to over a second for a short period, but her hopes of clinging onto the lead were dashed as she was handed a five second time penalty for forcing Weug off the track at Turn 22 during their tantalising battle.
With the field settling into a rhythm and three laps remaining, Chambers continued to extend her advantage at the front in order to salvage a potential podium.
The American racer needed a lap of qualifying speed to minimise her penalty and only drop her to P2, resulting in a fight on the timing sheets between her and Pin – the two were ultimately split by less than one tenth at the chequered flag, meaning that Chambers lost just one position.
She may have crossed the line in second the road, but the penalty promoted Weug to victory, making her the first Ferrari driver to win at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit.
The full top 10 are- P1: Weug, P2: Chambers, P3: Pin, P4: Palmowski, P5: Larsen, P6: Hausmann, P7: Gademan, P8: Lloyd, P9: Ciconte and P10: Chong.
Oscar Piastri has picked up his third win of the season with an assured drive to victory in the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, the Australian driver becoming the new Drivers’ Championship leader in the process.
There was early drama as the race got underway, with pole sitter Max Verstappen and second-placed Piastri going wheel-to-wheel before Verstappen cut the apex into the first corner. While the Dutchman initially held the lead, a five second time penalty for the manoeuvre saw him drop behind the McLaren man after serving the penalty at his pit stop.
Lando Norris – embarked on a recovery drive from P10 – inherited the lead for some time as the frontrunners pitted, with the Briton having opted for a longer first stint by starting on the hard tyres. But Piastri took over P1 when his team mate stopped for medium rubber, the 24 year old going on to eke out an advantage at the front.
The full top 10 are- P1: Piastri, P2: Verstappen, P3: Leclerc, P4: Norris, P5: Russell, P6: Antonelli, P7: Hamilton, P8: Sainz, P9: Albon and P10: Hadjar.
What a result from Piastri! His third win of the season, and he did it in great style, cool, calm and collected! The Australian driver had such a strong weekend, he will be looking forward to the next race to continue this momentum. As for Lando Norris, P4, just narrowly missing out on a podium but a good recovery drive from the Brit.
A decent drive from Verstappen, a shame he couldn’t grab the win but going up against the McLaren it has got a lot more race pace than the Red Bull, plus he had a 5 second penalty from the incident with Piastri so that didn’t help his chances. As for his teammate, Yuki Tsunoda, it was a day to forget… On Lap 1 he collided with his former team mate Gasly as both drivers hit the wall. While Gasly was out of the running in the Alpine, Tsunoda managed to limp back to the pits but it was quickly confirmed that he was out of the race.
Now onto the final podium finisher, Charles Leclerc, what a race for him! The first podium of the year for Ferrari (apart from the Sprint) a lovely drive from the Monegasque. They seemed to have pace this weekend, more than the Mercedes team. As for Hamilton he finished 7th, not the best but not the worst and he still scored points. It seems when he switched to the hard tyres he struggled on them which is no surprise as he has had this problem before.
Now onto the Mercedes drivers, 5th for Russell and 6th for Antonelli, not amazing from the Silver Arrows but there pace this weekend just wasn’t their to battle for podiums.
Double points for Williams! 8th for Sainz, his best finish in the Williams car so far. And 9th for Albono, overall a good weekend for the team, which they will be hoping for more of.
And our final points scorer is Isack Hadjar in 10th, the rookie is flying so far, another points finish.
Now the next race we have a little wait now, which is the 4th May and were headed to Miami for Round 6!
Victor Martins made a positive start to Round 3, ending up fastest for ART Grand Prix in Free Practice. A 1:45.671 was the time to beat in a session that got quicker with every lap completed.
Roman Stanek started positively too for Invicta Racing, finishing second ahead of Dino Beganovic, who made a late improvement to go third for Hitech TGR.
After the tyre preparation laps, Joshua Duerksen set an early benchmark with a 1:49.034 for AIX Racing.
The times fell with every subsequent lap as Martins put ART on top with 10 minutes run on a 1:47.735, until Kush Maini pipped him by 0.012s. Stanek was next to go quickest, a 1:47.689 by the Invicta driver meant the top three was separated by just 0.046s.
The trio improved once again but this time it was Maini who led the way, 1:46.437 for the DAMS Lucas Oil driver leaving his 0.3s clear ahead of Stanek and F2’s latest Feature Race winner, Alexander Dunne.
Jak Crawford put in an improved to cut the deficit to teammate Maini to just 0.013s, but Martins went back to the top shortly afterwards.
Duerksen returned to P1 with 15 minutes to go of the session as the Paraguayan set a 1:46.387, leaving the top five separated by less than a tenth of a second.
Stanek then restored Invicta to the top of the pile as he moved onto a 1:46.217. Crawford cut the gap to 0.031s as he improved to second as Martins then went third and 0.087s off the top.
Gabriele Mini took P1 for PREMA Racing, but only briefly, as a storming lap by Stanek resulted in a 1:45.820 and the fastest time once again.
Into the final five minutes, and times continued to fall, Martins laid down the marker of a 1:45.671 to go back ahead of Stanek. A last minute improvement from Beganovic put him third ahead of Duerksen.
Qualifying-
DAMS Lucas Oil’s Jak Crawford left it to his last lap of the day to take pole position in Jeddah, beating ART Grand Prix rival Victor Martins for the top spot by just 0.022s in a fascinating qualifying session.
Martins had looked set for pole after completing his first flying lap, but Crawford’s 1:43.579 was enough to take the top spot, as Invicta Racing’s Leonardo Fornaroli rounded out the top three.
Martins set the early pace after the first set of laps, the Frenchman completing a 1:44.559 to lead Rodin Motorsport’s Alexander Dunne by 0.323s.
The drivers though were able to push on for a second attempt on their Supersoft tyres, and on this occasion, it was Arvid Lindblad on top thanks to a 1:44.250. Martins kept his place in the top two though, albeit 0.073s off the Campos Racing rookie.
Several drivers, including Lindblad, then set off for a third flying lap. However, they aborted those attempts to head into the pit lane for a new set of tyres.
With just over 11 minutes to go in the session, the drivers came back out on the track on their new sets of tyres.
Gabriele Mini used that fresh rubber to rocket up to the top of the timesheets, only for Luke Browning to quickly drop him down in P2.
As the rest of the field looked to complete their laps though, the red flags were waved following John Bennett’s crash into the barrier at Turn 17.
Once the car was cleared from the track the session resumed with 5 minutes remaining, which led to a flurry of activity with only enough time for one flying lap.
Crawford rose to the top with a 1:43.579, beating Martins by just 0.022s to give DAMS their first pole since Melbourne in 2023.
The full top 10 are- Pole: Crawford, P2: Martins, P3: Fornaroli, P4: Browning, P5: Lindblad, P6: Dunne, P7: Marti, P8: Mini, P9: Verschoor and P10: Stanek.
The first triple-header of the 2025 season is coming to an end on the shores of the Red Sea.
The Saudi Arabian Grand Prix first appeared on the calendar in December 2021, with the next three events taking place in March and this year will be the first time it will run in April.
The track is 6.174 kilometres long and one of the fastest of the season with drivers spending around 80% of the lap with the accelerator buried to the floor, even though it is fair twisty and boasts a record number of corners, 27 in fact.
The track surface is not very abrasive, with an average level of roughness, but the lateral forces exerted on the tyres are considerable, although not at the level to be found at Suzuka or Barcelona for example.
Graining can put in an appearance, especially in the first free practice sessions as the track is very dirty to start with, because it is rarely used for motor racing. However, with several support categories also racing, track condition improves over the course of the weekend, so that this phenomenon diminishes.
The choice of compounds for the first four races of this season were the same as last year’s but for round five, Pirelli has taken a softer step. C3 (Hard), C4 (Medium) and the C5 (Soft) are the trio selected Jeddah.
In 2024, Bottas was the only driver to pit twice, with all the others going for the one-stop, with the vast majority starting on the Medium and then switching to the Hard tyre for the second stint.
The choice of compounds for the first four races of this season were the same as last year’s, but for round five, Pirelli has taken a softer step, with the C3 as Hard, the C4 as Medium and the C5 as Soft being the trio available in Jeddah. Read more 👉https://t.co/WRUyU8cYpo#F1pic.twitter.com/WSrH38VdkC
Farah AlYousef will make her F1 Academy debut this weekend, as the Saudi Motorsport Company, the Promoter of the Formula 1 STC Saudi Arabian Grand Prix 2025, have announced that she has been selected as the Wild Card entry for Round 2 in Jeddah.
AlYousef follows in the footsteps of Reema Juffali, who became the series’ first Wild Card driver when she competed at the opening round last year. The 22 year old will be getting behind the wheel of the #4 car operated by Hitech TGR.
After being crowned champion at the Saudi Women’s Karting Championship in 2022, AlYousef secured 26th place at the Karting World Finals and is set to represent Saudi Arabia at the FW Nations Cup Finals in Dubai this May.
In preparation for her F1 Academy debut, she has also race in the F4 Middle East Championship and has completed extensive testing at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit, including three days of in-season testing in F1 Academy machinery.
Nominated by SMC, AlYousef, a rising talent in Saubi motorsport, was selected as part of a continued commitment from the promoter to empower local talent and create new opportunities for Saudi women to compete and thrive at the highest levels of international motorsport.
Racing as a Wild Card entry in the F1 ACADEMY on home soil here in Jeddah is truly a dream come true. Motorsport has been my passion for as long as I can remember, and to line up alongside some of the most talented young drivers in the world at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit is an incredibly proud moment. I hope my participation inspires young girls across Saudi Arabia to believe in themselves and chase their dreams. The journey hasn’t always been easy, but moments like this remind me why I love racing. I’m ready to give it my all and represent my country with pride. The Saudi driver on the news.
Pole-sitter Duerksen got the start he needed to retain the lead, but Victor Martins was squeezed on the approach to Turn 1. He was off the road into the polystyrene boards, leaving him with front wing damage and at the back.
Sebastian Montoya’s race was also over early as he was pointed the wrong way and out of the running on the opening lap. That brought out the Safety Car as his PREMA Racing car was recovered and Turn 1 was cleared up.
The Safety Car was in at the end of the lap and Duerksen retained the lead ahead of Beganovic and Rafael Villagomez. Verschoor had closed to within DRS range of Villagomez ahead and with a switchback out of Turn 4, seized third position on Lap 10.
Up Ahead, the leading pair of Duerksen and Beganovic were three seconds clear of the pack, but the Swede was sticking with the race leader closely. Onto Lap 11 and with DRS up the hill to Turn 4, Beganovic moved to the inside and claimed the race lead.
As many settled into tyre preservation mode, Dunne was on the move again with a dive at Turn 1, passing Villagomez for fourth on lap 13.
The Safety Car was back out on lap 16 after Max Esterson came to a stop in his Trident car. It brought several drivers into the pit lane for a stop.
Back to racing conditions on Lap 19, Beganovic ran slightly wide at the final corner, inviting pressure from Duerksen behind. The Paraguyan re-took the top spot at Turn 1 while behind them, a four car scrap for third went the way of Verschoor, but Marti was able to pass Dunne for fourth a few corners later.
The Rodin driver made slight contact with Browning and fell behind the Hitech TGR driver on Lap 20. An attempt to re-pass Browning at the first opportunity into Turn 8 opened the door for Arvid Lindblad to take seventh from the Irishman on corner exit.
Lap 22 of 23 and Beganovic drew alongside Duerksen, but he couldn’t make the pass stick at Turn 4. That gave Verschoor the chance to take second, but Marti got the switchback on both of them out of Turn 8 to seize second for himself.
On the final lap and Marti’s charge continued and with DRS he claimed the lead into Turn 1. The AIX driver couldn’t fight back and had to defend from Verschoor, but his running wide at Turn 11 allowed the MP driver to gain second just a handful of corners from the finish.
Marti earned his first win of the year in some style, ahead of Verschoor and Duerksen. However, after the race Duerksen was disqualified as he breached the Technical Regulations. It promotes everyone up one position, with Dino Beganovic taking the final podium position.
Day 3-
Fornaroli aced his start but wheelspin for Martins dropped him down to seventh by Turn 1. Dunne seized second ahead of Roman Stanek and Rafael Villagomez. The Mexican driver was able to sneak his way by for third at Turn 10, while Josep Maria Marti had charged up to fifth from P11 on the grid on soft Pirelli tyres.
Those running in the top eight were all fitted with the softer compound, Joshua Duerksen in P9 leading those on the white-walled hard tyres on the alternative strategy. That was until lap 5 when Luke Browning took ninth from the AIX Racing driver out of Turn 4.
After Marti had passed Stanek, Martins was on the move up ahead, taking fifth from the Czech driver at the Turn 8 hairpin.
Having trailed by over a second in the early laps, Dunne closed to within DRS range of race leader Fornaroli approaching the pit window opening, half a second back in P2.
With DRS on Lap 7, Dunne took the lead of the race into Turn 1 from Fornaroli, who’d reported his tyres were beginning to fall away from him. Marti mirrored that move for third position a few metres behind the leading pair, while Martins took advantage himself, getting the run into Turn 4 to take fourth from Villagomez.
Lap 10 and Stanek was able to re-pass Villagomez with DRS into Turn 4 to move himself back into the top five.
Martins was the first of the leaders to pit for hard compounds tyres, rejoining in P17. Stanek, Browning and Duerksen were all in on the following lap for their pitstops, coming back out behind Martins but ahead of Verschoor.
Fornaroli and Marti pitted at the start of Lap 16 for their mandatory stops, and left as they entered, rejoining the track between seventh placed Martins and Browning in P10.
Browning was the lead driver on Softs and moved himself up to fourth at Turn 4 with a pass on Martin on Lap 18. The Hitech driver’s charge continued, and he was onto the back of Fornaroli on lap 21. He used DRS to take third down the main straight to maintain his progress up the order.
Martins wasn’t able to repel his fellow Williams Racing Driver Development talent as on Lap 23, the Brit took second from the ART driver wit DRS into Turn 1.
Browning’s progress stalled out however, as the leader extended his advantage in the following phase of the race to over six seconds.
Fornaroli’s hopes of a podium weren’t over, as he was able to close in on Martins in third, He was told his pace through the last corner was a strength and he used it to good effect to get a run on Martins to take the place with five laps to go.
One lap later and Marti was through on the Frenchman and into fourth with a 1.4s deficit to Fornaroli ahead. He cut into DRS range entering the final lap and with DRS into Turn 4, Marti had the momentum but some stout defence by Fornaroli kept the Italian ahead.
Neither could catch Dunner though, who earned his maiden F2 win by over eight seconds from Browning!
The full top 10 are- P1: Dunne, P2: Browning, P3: Fornaroli, P4: Marti, P5: Martins, P6: Verschoor, P7: Beganovic, P8: Lindblad, P9: Mini and P10: Duerksen.
Oscar Piastri has become the first multiple race winner of the 2025 season by taking a sublime victory in the Bahrain Grand Prix, the Australian driver putting in a cool and collected drive to seal P1 on his 50th start in F1 as well as marking McLaren’s first triumph in Sakhir.
After making a strong start from pole position – despite a close call from George Russell when the Mercedes driver locked up into Turn 1 – Piastri built a solid lead throughout the laps that followed.
While there was early trouble for team mate Lando Norris – who was hit with a five second time penalty for being out of position in his grid box – the McLarens again looked impressive as the race played out with the Brit working his way forwards.
And while the Australian’s position potentially looked under threat when a Safety Car emerged, the 24 year old made a clean getaway at the restart and went on to rebuild a gap in the laps that followed, eventually crossing the line with a 15 second lead.
The full top 10 are- P1: Piastri, P2: Russell, P3: Norris, P4: Leclerc, P5: Hamilton, P6: Verstappen, P7: Gasly, P8: Ocon, P9: Tsunoda and P10: Bearman.
What a drive from Oscar Piastri, that was such a strong drive from the Australian and a thoroughly deserved win! As for Norris, he bounced back from qualifying 6th to finish on the podium, I think he would’ve got 2nd if he didn’t have the 5 second penalty.
P2 for Russell, a lovely result from the Mercedes man! Another podium added to his tally which makes three podiums out of four races, making it his best ever start to a season. As for his teammate Antonelli finished just outside of the points in P11, during the race he was running in the points so hard luck for the rookie to not get any.
A good result for Ferrari, 4th for Leclerc and 5th for Hamilton. Unlucky for Leclerc to just miss out on the podium but the Ferrari is no match for the McLaren just yet… But it is still a good points haul for both drivers! I’m sure the podiums will come soon enough.
P6 for Verstappen, not the best result for the Dutch man, but he had a bit of a rubbish weekend. He struggled with the car a lot and it didn’t help that he had issues at both of his pit stops either. As for Tsunoda he finished ninth, first points for the Japanese driver in the Red Bull team.
P7 for the GAS Man, points on the board for the Alpine driver! Which is deserved after such a strong weekend for the team. This now means all teams have scored points already this season.
A double points finish for Haas, which is good to see, this now boosts the team up to 5th in the Constructors. So the team will be wanting to score as many points as possible as the constructors is very close.
Now for the next race week, we are on our third week of the triple header, where we head to Saudi Arabia for Round 5 of 24!
It was a terrific start for the pole-sitter Joshua Dufek who kept a hold of the lead, but AIX’s Slater got ahead of Martinius Stenshorne for P2 at Turn 4 after starting third.
Behind them, Tsolov got ahead of Alessandro Giusti for P4, while Championship leader Rafael Camara had a slow start from P12 and dropped to the back of the field.
Onto lap 2, Slater closed in on Dufek before making a move for the lead at Turn 1. Behind them, Tsolov continued his fine start, overtaking Stenshorne for third at the same corner.
The Safety Car was called upon at the start of Lap 4, PREMA Racing’s Ugo Ugochukwu stopped at Turn 2 after colliding with his teammate Brando Badoer, who pitted with a puncture.
Racing then resumed on lap 7 and Tsolov was flying once again, diving to the inside of Dufek for P2 at Turn 1. The battles intensified on lap 9 as Tsolov again dived to the inside at Turn 1, this time on Slater for the race lead. However, the Campos driver went in too deep allowing the Briton to retake the lead.
Just behind the pair, the battle for P3 was heating up as Dufek, Stenshorne and Taponen almost went three-wide into Turn 4. The latter two eventually made their way past at Turn 10 and 11, with Giusti following them through a few corners later at Turn 1.
Further up the road, Slater and Tsolov were going wheel to wheel once more. The Bulgarian dived down the AIX driver at Turns 4 and 8, but on both occasions, the debutant retook the lead.
However, Tsolov eventually made a move stick with the help of DRS and dived down the inside at Turn 1 again. Behind them, Taponen was now ahead of Stenshorne for P3.
At the start of lap 13 of 19, the top three had begun to separate themselves out in front, while Stenshorne was coming under attack from Giusti and Callum Voisin for P4.
Giusti then went side by side with Stenshorne into Turn 6 and 7, but the MP Motorsport driver had the door closed, putting him into the clutches of Voisin, who made a move past at Turn 11.
On lap 15 of 19, the Safety Car was called upon, with Dufek and Ivan Domingues colliding at Turn 1, causing both drivers to stop by the side of the road.
We returned to green flag conditions at the start of Lap 18, and Slater was right on the back of Tsolov, but the Campos driver resisted all his overtaking attempts. Onto the final lap, Taponen looked to make a move on Slater into Turn 1 but could not make it stick. Tsolov though was able to pull away out in front and went on to claim a record-equalling fourth victory in FIA Formula 3.
The full top 10 are- P1: Tsolov, P2: Slater, P3: Taponen, P4: Voisin, P5: Stenshorne, P6: Tramnitz, P7: Giusti, P8: Ho, P9: Wurz and P10: Stromsted.
Day 3-
It was a great start for Voisin who got ahead of Camara on the brakes at Turn 1, while Charlie Wurz kept a hold of third ahead of DAMS Lucas Oil’s Christian Ho.
Tuukka Taponen was also on the move for ART Grand Prix. From sixth, he got ahead of Bruno del Pino at the start, before overtaking Ho for fourth into Turn 4 on Lap 2.
Onto Lap 3, Camara and Wurz had closed in on the back of Voisin, with the former using DRS to get ahead into Turn 1. However, the Rodin driver’s switchback move got him back ahead at Turn 4.
Camara eventually got ahead on Lap 5, making the same move on Voisin at Turn 1, the Brit unable to get ahead at Turn 4 this time despite his attempts to do so. Wurz and Taponen were now battling for P3, allowing Voisin and Camara to disappear up the road.
Further behind, Alessandro Giusti got himself ahead of Noel Leon for P11 at the same corner. He made a similar move at Turn 1 on the following lap on another PREMA Racing driver, Brando Badoer for P10.
Trident then came on the radio to tell Wurz to stay with Taponen, but at the same time, his teammate Noah Stromsted was coming under threat from Ho and Tramnitz for P5.
The Dane fended off Ho, before the DAMS driver ran wide at Turn 2. This opened the door for Tramnitz to get ahead on the run to Turn 4. On the next lap, the Singaporean lost another position to Nikola Tsolov at the next corner.
Another driver showing tremendous pace was Mari Boya. The Campos driver overtook Badoer for P11 after starting the race down in 20th. Tramnitz and Tsolov then got ahead of Stromsted for fifth and sixth, while Giusti overtook his MP teammate del Pino for P9.
As lap 14 of 22 started, Camara was three and a half seconds clear of Voisin, who was 2.4s in front of Taponen. A DRS train had now formed behind the ART driver, with Wurz, Tramnitz, Tsolov and Stromsted all in the fight for the podium.
After trying for several laps to get ahead of Wurz, Tramnitz eventually got ahead of the Trident driver by going round the outside at Turn 4 on Lap 17.
Taponen had been able to pull out a one second advantage due to the fighting behind him, but Tramnitz closed the gap before pulling off another move round the outside at Turn 4 on lap 19 for third.
Wurz had now dropped to P6 after being overtaken by Tsolov, and was coming under attack from his teammate, Stromsted.
Out in front though, Camara was over six seconds clear across the line as he went on to win his second feature race of the season. Voisin finished in P2 and Tramnitz ended up third for MP.
The full top 10 are- P1: Camara, P2: Voisin, P3: Tramnitz, P4: Taponen, P5: Tsolov, P6: Stromsted, P7: Giusti, P8: Boya, P9: Del Pino and P10: Ho.
Oliver Goethe got the Sakhir race weekend off to a great start for MP Motorsport, leading teammate Richard Vershoor in Free Practice around the Bahrain International Circuit.
The Red Bull Junior driver saved his best effort for the final minutes, a 1:47.789 leaving him fastest going into Qualifying. Campos Racing’s Josep Maria Marti rounded out the top three.
Joshua Duerksen got the ball rolling in the session, recording a 1:48.954 as the early benchmark time for AIX Racing. DAMS Lucas Oil’s Jak Crawford went second in the opening 10 minutes, just 0.022s down on the Paraguayan.
Marti moved to P1 as the clock ticked into the final 20 minutes. He set a 1:48.379 for Campos, 0.008s quicker than Victor Martins who moved up to P2 in his Williams liveried – ART Grand Prix car.
Much of the remaining laps were dedicated to race running, though Goethe surged to the top in the final two minutes with a 1:47.789 for MP.
Qualifying-
It was a direct fight between Leonardo Fornaroli and Victor Martins for top spot, with the former earning his first Formula 2 pole position in the end.
The Invicta Racing driver secured P1 with a 1:44.008 to pip the Frenchman by over a tenth, while Hitech TGR’s Luke Browning earned third position at the chequered flag.
After several build laps, ART’s Martins set the early pace and benchmark to beat, going to the top with a 1:45.110.
Rodin Motorsport driver, Alexander Duune was just 0.002s down on that effort to go second but they were both blown out of the water by Fornaroli, who laid down a 1:44.642 for the top.
Half of the field opted to wait and as the first 11 returned to the pitlane, the others joined the circuit for their first attempts. Josep Maria Marti was the quickest of the second group, going up to P2 for Campos Racing and 0.223s down on the provisional pole sitter.
With eight minutes remaining, everyone rejoined the circuit for their final attempts. Martins improved to re-take the top spot with a 1:44.163 and he was comfortably clear, but Fornaroli denied him once more, going back to P1 to earn his maiden F2 pole position.
The full top 10 are- Pole: Fornaroli, P2: Martins, P3: Browing, P4: Dunne, P5: Stanek, P6: Verschoor, P7: Meguetounif, P8: Villagomez, P9: Beganovic and P10: Duerksen.
McLaren driver, Oscar Piastri grabbed pole position during Qualifying for the Bahrain Grand Prix, getting the better of Mercedes rival George Russell and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc in a thrilling conclusion.
Practice pace-setter McLaren had been in control through the Q1 and Q2 phases but had to work hard to remain at the top of the timesheets in Q3 – Piastri’s final 1m 29.841s lap putting him a couple of tenths up on Russell. Leclerc was another tenth and a half back in third.
The full top 10 are- Pole: Piastri, P2: Russell, P3: Leclerc, P4: Antonelli, P5: Gasly, P6: Norris, P7: Verstappen, P8: Sainz, P9: Hamilton and P10: Tsunoda.
What a lovely result from Piastri! Pole for the McLaren man, just what he would’ve wanted as he will be looking to grab his second win of the season. As for Norris, a bit of a shocker in 6th, however, he hasn’t lost out too much as he will be lining up next to Verstappen…
P2 and P4 for the Mercedes boys! A really strong finish from Russell and Antonelli, it is a track both drivers know well. However, they are going to be investigated after qualifying for a potential rule breach.
P3 for Leclerc, a much better result from the Monegasque and Ferrari, hopefully they can keep up the good result and turn it into a good points haul / a podium. As for Hamilton, he qualified, 9th, a semi-decent result for the Brit, could’ve been better for sure, especially as Leclerc qualified third but a decent result.
A mixed result for Red Bull, Verstappen 7th, he was complaining about brake issues throughout the session. As for Tsunoda he qualified 10th, not too bad, but a position where he can improve and grab some points.
P8 for Carlos Sainz, a lovely result for the Spanish driver, his best result in the Williams so far! Hopefully he can get some points this weekend.
One driver I haven’t mentioned is Mr Pierre Gaslyyyy, putting his Alpine in P5! A lovely result from him and the team, they definitely seem to have improved from last season. Hopefully a good points haul from the Frenchman to help in the Constructors.
Trident’s Rafael Camara picked up where he left off in Melbourne to set the pace in the opening session in Sakhir, his 1:50.984 the fastest time of Free Practice.
The Brazilian driver eclipsed Nikola Tsolov’s early benchmark time by 0.127s to end up fastest ahead of his Campos Racing rival, while ART Grand Prix rookie Tuukka Taponen rounded out the top three.
Van Amersfoort Racing’s Ivan Domingues had the track to himself early on as the rest of the field waited in the pit lane. He set a 1:52.776 to complete the first push lap of the session.
Action started to ramp up with 15 minutes to go as one by one all 30 cars started to head back out onto the circuit. After the first set of push laps, it was Tsolov that set the pace with a 1:51.111, with Rodin Motorsport rookie Roman Bilinski 0.312s behind in P2.
However, Tsolov was down to second as Camara went top on a 1:50.984, putting the Brazilian 0.127s clear in front.
Fellow rookie Taponen went third for ART, over two-tenths back from the leading time, as Van Amersfoort Racing’s Santiago Ramos jumped up to fourth.
The drivers continued to set their best times up until the chequered flag as MP Motorsport’s Alessandro Giusti ended up in P5 ahead of Charlie Wurz and Bilinski.
Qualifying-
Rafael Camara was the one to beat once again, as the Trident driver took his second consecutive pole position of the season, beating out Callum Voisin in an action packed Sakhir Qualifying.
A closely fought encounter between the pair, the Brazilian’s late 1:49.214 was enough for P1, while the Rodin Motorsport driver ended up 0.156s down in second, with Trident’s Charlie Wurz in third.
It was Nikola Tsolov that set the early benchmark though of 1:50.506, putting the Campos Racing driver 0.169s clear of DAMS Lucas Oil’s Christian Ho, with James Wharton just behind in P3.
The entire field was back in the pit lane with 18 minutes left in the session, but after a quick change of tyres, they were out on track for the second set of push laps on their new rubber.
There were plenty of improvements and on this occasion, it was Voisin on provisional pole, thanks to a 1:49.882, putting him just 0.023s ahead of MP Motorsport’s Alessandro Giusti.
Camara went to third ahead of Tsolov this time around, before the drivers returned to the pit lane to put on another new set of tyres.
Setting his lap earlier than the rest of the field, Camara went to P1 with a 1:49.214. Voisin set the fastest first sector but could not overhaul the Trident driver and ended up second, 0.156s down.
The full top 10 are- Pole: Camara, P2: Voisin, P3: Wurz, P4: Ho, P5: del Pino, P6: Taponen, P7: Stromsted, P8: Tsolov, P9: Giusti and P10: Slater.
The Sakhir circuit boasts several layouts, with two different ones used for the races in 2010 and 2020, but the current one is 5.412 kilometres in length and features 15 corners, 9 to the right and 6 to the left.
The track is one of the toughest on the calendar when it comes to tyres, especially in the braking areas and when traction is required. The aggregate used for the asphalt at the Bahrain International Circuit is still very abrasive despite it being quite old now.
Temperature will be a very important variable when it comes to tyre management at the fourth race of the year. As was the case in Suzuka, the teams will have a choice of the three hardest compounds in Pirelli’s range.
The C1 (Hard), C2 (Medium) and the C3 (Soft), however, the Sakhir track characteristics and indeed the temperatures, will require a different approach to that adopted last week in Japan.
All the teams, will have a good baseline from which to start work, given that in the last week the circuit hosted the only pre-season test. Which means everyone will have plenty of data to work with when it comes to setting up the cars and choosing the best strategies for qualifying and the race.
Bahrain is the one Grand Prix where a two stop strategy would seem to be a given, and that was the case last year. All drivers made at least two stops, whilst some even stopped three times. The Soft and Hard tyres are the preferred compounds, with the vast majority opting to start on the C3.
Luke Browning will be making another Formula 1 free practice session appearance with Williams in Bahrain this weekend.
The Formula 2 racer, will be taking over Carlos Sainz’s car in Friday’s opening session, having made his F1 practice debut with Williams in Abu Dhabi at the end of last year.
Last week, he drove the team’s FW45 car from 2023 at Monza alongside fellow F2 racer Victor Martins, who recently joined the Williams Academy.
Browning has been part of the Williams Academy since 2023, during that time he also drove the FW46 at the post-season young drivers’ test last year.
Currently he is competing in FIA Formula 2 Championship in his first full campaign, after he took part in six races last season after finishing third in the FIA Formula 3 Championship.
Being given another opportunity to drive in a free practice session with Williams is a dream come true, and I’m getting more and more confidence each time I drive the car. My main aim for FP1 is to get more comfortable with the procedures and environment that come with F1, and to build on my experience from Abu Dhabi last December. I’m excited to feel the progression from the FW46 to the FW47 and I feel incredibly grateful to James [Vowles], Sven [Smeets] and the team at Grove for entrusting me with the car. I’m excited to feel the progression from the FW46 to the FW47 and I feel incredibly grateful to James [Vowles], Sven [Smeets] and the team at Grove for entrusting me with the car. Browning on the news.
Luke has made strong progress since his first F2 weekend last year and scored good points in the opening race of the season in Australia. His previous FP1 experience, participation in our TPC [testing of previous cars] programme, and simulator work have prepared him well for this weekend and we look forward to seeing him take this next step forward in his development. Williams Sporting Director, Smeets.
Fernando Alonso will be sitting out for the first free practice session at this weekend’s Bahrain Grand Prix.
The two-time champion makes way for reserve driver Felipe Drugovich for the hour as one of the FP1 sessions by a rookie driver.
Having stood in for Lance Stroll at the Sakhir International Circuit during pre-season testing in 2023, Drugovich knows his way around the track in an Aston Martin car.
The 24 year old has competed in numerous FP1 sessions for the Silverstone team since winning the Formula 2 Championship in 2022.
I’m very happy to be getting out in the F1 car again, especially so early in the season. I’ve been preparing on the simulator to get a feel for the car, and Bahrain is a track I know well and really enjoy driving. I’m excited to contribute and give the team the data they need to perform at their best this weekend. Thanks to the whole team for their continued support. Drugovich on the news.
We’re pleased to offer Felipe this opportunity to drive the AMR25 in Bahrain. He has been an integral part of our team’s simulator programme at the AMRTC and consistently provides valuable and insightful feedback that helps drive the development of the car. Felipe is a trusted pair of hands, and we’re confident he’ll do a great job in FP1 and contribute to our preparations for the race weekend. Andy Cowell, CEO and Team Principal.
Frederik Vesti will be driving for Mercedes in the opening session for this weekend’s Bahrain Grand Prix.
Mercedes’ test and reserve driver, will be taking over George Russell’s W16 for FP1 at the Bahrain International Circuit, having already assisted the squad with simulator work at Brackley this year.
This is the Dane’s third appearance in a grand prix weekend, having also driven in FP1 for Mercedes in Mexico and Abu Dhabi in 2023.
This year, he is dovetailing his Mercedes commitments with a drive in the IMSA Sports Car Championship with the factory backed Action Express Cadillac team.
New for 2025 signing, Andrea Kimi Antonelli has already fulfilled the requirements for Mercedes in Australia and China, but now that the Italian has completed two grands prix, he is no longer considered a rookie for this purpose.
The Sakhir circuit is seen as an ideal venue for F1 teams to bring in newcomers, as they already have a substantial amount of data from the track during pre-season testing in February.
I am really looking forward to getting my first taste of the W16 in FP1 in Bahrain. Being able to put all of my simulator work into practice on the track is a really exciting prospect for me. At the start of the year, I set myself the goal of maximising every chance I get behind the wheel of an F1 car in 2025, and that is what I hope to achieve in Bahrain. I will be doing everything I can to help the team, George, and Kimi get set for the rest of the weekend. I am grateful to Mercedes for once again giving me this opportunity. Vesti on the news.
Dino Beganovic will be making his official Formula 1 debut during the first practice session of the Bahrain Grand Prix.
This will take place alongside his existing responsibilities in F2 as he and Hitech TGR ready themselves for a busy weekend.
The Swedish driver taking part in FP1 will begin to fulfill Charles Leclerc’s obligation to hand over his car to a rookie for two sessions this season, but will also make him a fifth member of Ferrari’s famous Driver Academy to join an official F1 weekend.
Beganovic began racing in karts in his home country, quickly establishing himself as a talented driver within Europe. On joining Formula 4 in 2020, he immediately proved his talent when he finished third in the Italian race with PREMA.
He was able to quickly ascend through the junior formulas, with his hard work bearing fruit with 13 podiums, four race wins and an FRECA championship to his name in 2022.
Moving on to Formula 3, he finished sixth in the drivers’ standings in both 2023 and 2024 seasons, and at the end of the year had a taste of F2, where he scored a podium finish with DAMS Lucas Oil at the Yas Marina sprint race. Currently he sits 15th in the standings with Hitech TGR after the Australian season opener.
Max Verstappen scored his first victory of the 2025 season with a masterful drive to P1 in the Japanese Grand Prix, the World Champion holding off the McLaren pair of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri to claim his fourth consecutive win at the Suzuka Circuit.
After making a strong start from pole position, Verstappen held a decent lead over the McLaren’s throughout the early stages. Drama then ensued during the pit stop phase when the Dutchman’s slightly slow stop saw Norris – who had pitted on the same lap – try to go side by side at the pit exit, resulting in the McLaren man having to take to the grass while Verstappen remained ahead.
While both drivers voiced their unhappiness about the incident over the team radio, the stewards opted not to investigate and Verstappen remained ahead of Norris as the race progressed, building a gap back to the Briton.
The full top 10 are- P1: Verstappen, P2: Norris, P3: Piastri, P4: Leclerc, P5: Russell, P6: Antonelli, P7: Hamilton, P8: Hadjar, P9: Albon and P10: Bearman.
What a great result from Verstappen and Red Bull! Their first win of the season and it all started from a lovely qualifying lap on Saturday and then the Dutchman just put everything together on Sunday to secure the win! As for his new teammate, Tsunoda, he finished 12th, just outside the points.
A lovely result from McLaren, P2 for Norris and P3 for Piastri a very strong weekend for both drivers, they were bringing the heat to Verstappen but it wasn’t enough to grab the win.
P4 for Leclerc! A lovely result for the Ferrari driver, especially after their horrible weekend in China, it’s unfortunate they couldn’t get on the podium but it was close enough. It was P7 for Hamilton, not too bad but definitely not the worse and still some points in the bag for the team.
P5 for Russell and P6 Antonelli, a decent weekend for the Mercedes boys. Antonelli seems to be settling in comfortably at the Silver Arrows, and is rewarded with points once again!
P8 for Hadjar! What a start of a season for him in his rookie campaign! He is doing well and I’m looking forward to seeing what he can do for the rest of the season.
The Suzuka track is one of the most spectacular and demanding on the calendar, as well as being the only circuit of the season with a figure of eight layout. Located in the Mie Prefecture, the venue is owned by Honda whose Suzuka factory, built in 1960 is one of its main sites in Japan.
The track is regarded as being demanding for both car and driver, 5.807 kilometres in length, it is made up of 18 corners, some of which are part of motor racing history, such as the Esses in the first sector.
The C1, the hard compound of the 2025 range, makes its season debut at this the third round, joined as usual by the C2 (Medium) and C3 (Soft). That’s because Suzuka is one of the toughest tracks on the calendar when it comes to tyres and Pirelli has therefore always selected the hardest trio of compounds.
Something new for this year is the fact that a large part of the track has been resurfaced, from the exit of the last chicane to the end of the first sector. This is an important section, as it features medium and high speed corners, some of them long ones, such as the first two after the start-finish straight, where tyres come under a lot of stress.
As already mentioned, the three hardest compounds in the range will be available. It is worth noting that, of the three, the C1 is the one that most closely resembles its 2024 iteration, while the C2 especially and the C3, have undergone the most changes in terms of performance, being softer than last year.
In 2024, the race was won by Max Verstappen, followed home by Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez and the then Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz. The field was split pretty fairly evenly between the Medium and Soft for the first stint, with 12 choosing the C2 and eight the C3.
But the race strategy was then influenced by the race being red flagged following a collision between Albon and Ricciardo, with seven drivers changing compounds for the restart off the grid.
Red Bull have revealed a special one-off livery that will adorn the RB21 during the Japanese Grand Prix weekend, with the team running a striking white and red design to honour the final year of their partnership with Honda.
In an event that will see Yuki Tsunoda step up as Max Verstappen’s new team mate in front of his home crowd – following the decision to swap the Japanese driver with Liam Lawson the latter returning to Racing Bulls – Red Bull’s challenger will pay tribute to Honda by sporting a design inspired by the RA272, which gave the engine manufacturer its inaugural win back in 1965.
The livery recreates the RA272’s Japanese flag motif, featuring the ‘H’ logo on the nose and the simple Honda logo on the rear of the bodywork, while a special logo commemorating the 60th anniversary of Honda’s debut victory will be displayed on the Red Bull and Racing Bulls cars during the weekend.
This is not the first time that Red Bull have raced in white, with the squad having previously run a special livery at the 2021 Turkish Grand Prix.
Our relationship with Honda deserves celebration, it has been one of continued success and brought the team one of the most triumphant and dominant periods in our history. Max has won four world titles with a Honda power unit, and the team have lifted two Constructors’ titles. In addition, Honda’s reliability enabled it to complete the most successful season in the sport’s history in 2023. This livery is a tribute to Honda’s success in the sport and the final year of what has been a thoroughly enjoyable partnership. I am looking forward to seeing it out on track. Horner on the special livery.
It is quite moving to see the RA272 tribute livery on the latest Red Bull Racing machine, in the final year of Honda and Red Bull’s partnership. Our successful path will continue to shine in the history of F1. Koji Watanabe, President of Honda Racing Corporation (HRC).
Alpine have announced that Ryo Hirakawa – one of their reserve drivers for 2025 – will get behind the wheel of the A525 in front of his home crowd during Free Practice 1 at the Japanese Grand Prix.
Hirakawa – who previously enjoyed his debut practice run with McLaren at last year’s season finale in Abu Dhabi – has extensive experience across different categories of motorsport, having competed in various single-seater and endurance championships.
This saw him take victory in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2022, while he is also a two-time Hypercar champion in the FIA World Endurance Championship.
Now, after previously testing Formula 1 machinery for McLaren and Haas, Hirakawa will get his first taste of a 2025 car during his home event at the Suzuka Circuit, with the 31 year old set to take over Jack Doohan’s challenger for the session.
I’m very excited, I can’t wait to drive the A525 in Free Practice 1 this weekend. I’m looking back to 18 years ago to 2007, the first time I went to watch the Japanese Grand Prix, it was a different track, Fuji, but it was Formula 1 in Japan. Since then, I started my racing career and now to drive during the weekend is going to be a dream come true, I just can’t wait. I have got everything prepared, we did simulator work in Enstone a few days ago and I’m going to enjoy the moment. Hopefully the weather is good, it will be a short session, but I will enjoy it and do my best for the team to hopefully input some direction on set-up. I just want to add my appreciation to everyone at the team for the opportunity and support. Hirakawa on the news.
Jordan's Track Talk 