Verstappen Takes Pole, Norris Loses Control in Saudi Arabia
The grid is set for the third and final race of the first triple-header of the 2025 Formula One season. What a whirlwind these three weeks have been. After teammate battles, media mishaps, and surprise results, the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix has a lot to live up to as the triple-header’s grand finale. At Jeddah Corniche Circuit, current reigning champion Max Verstappen took pole, McLaren had two very different outcomes, and Mercedes’ George Russell continued to show that he very well may be the most consistent man on the grid.
Despite winning the Japanese Grand Prix, with an over-one-second gap to the runner-up, just two weeks ago, fans have been speculating about Verstappen’s future at his home team for ten years, Red Bull Racing. The Milton Keynes-based team is currently third in the constructors’ standings, behind Mercedes and the currently dominant McLaren, but Verstappen has put up consistently good performances and has ended the race on the podium at half of the races thus far in the season. However, there has still been talk of Verstappen activating his exit clause and leaving Red Bull before his contract expires in 2028. On the topic, Verstappen said, “As I said before, I just want to focus on my car, work with the people in the team – that’s the only thing that I’m thinking about in Formula 1 at the moment. I’m very relaxed.” Perhaps this pole position will dull the chatter, even for a little while.
The McLarens of Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris had two very different Saturdays in Saudi Arabia. Oscar Piastri took P2, just .010 seconds behind Verstappen. The Australian admitted he felt a little off his rhythm during the first part of the session, but there’s “still a lot to fight for tomorrow.” Speaking of off-rhythm, teammate Lando Norris was in the middle of what could have been a pole position lap in Q3 when he shunted his MCL39 into the wall at Turn 4. Norris said, “It’s been such a smooth, positive weekend so far, so we’re disappointed to have such a big setback, but I’ve got to take it on the chin. I apologized to the team, to my mechanics, and the engineers, and tried to try and go again tomorrow.”
Could there be a classic “Tortoise and the Hare” storyline unfolding in Formula One? Perhaps Mercedes’ George Russell is both the tortoise and the hare this year. Starting the race in P3, Russell has shown incredible consistency in the latter half of 2024, going into 2025. He has missed the podium only once this season, and, save for last year’s United States Grand Prix, has finished in the top five of every race since September. It seems Russell is playing a longer game this year, putting up consistent performances and waiting in the wings for one of his competitors to slip up. On missing the pole, Russell said, “I’m kicking myself a bit, but it’s a long race and anything can happen.”
