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Web Release
20-04-2025
- Automotive
- Web Release
Super Max Verstappen secures sensational pole in Saudi Arabian Grand Prix
Entertainment Web Release Selection By Editor_wr On Apr 20, 2025 In a thrilling Qualifying held under the floodlights, Red Bull's Max Verstappen stormed to pole position for the FORMULA 1 STC SAUDI ARABIAN GRAND PRIX. The reigning World Champion edged out McLaren's Oscar Piastri by just 0.01 seconds with a stunning lap of 1m27.294s — the fastest ever recorded around the Jeddah Corniche Circuit — at an average speed of 254.615 km/h. 'The car came alive in the night,' said a delighted Verstappen. Mercedes' George Russell took third, while the biggest shock of the session was Lando Norris crashing out at Turn 5. After running wide over the kerb, Norris lost control and hit the wall — bringing out the red flags and ensuring he'll start today's race from tenth on the grid. With a rapid McLaren beneath him, the Championship leader could still be a major factor when the lights go out at 8pm tonight. Just behind the top three, Charles Leclerc will line up fourth for Ferrari, with Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli impressing once again in fifth. As the sun set over the Red Sea last night, 17-year-old Red Bull Junior Arvid Lindblad made history by becoming the youngest ever Formula 2 race winner. He inherited the win after Richard Verschoor, who had crossed the line first, was handed a five-second penalty for forcing Josep María Martí off track at Turn 1. Lindblad had earlier passed his Campos team-mate Martí for second — a move that became the race-winning overtake once Verschoor's penalty was applied. Jak Crawford was the race's only retirement after a spin and he'll be looking to turn his fortunes around when he starts on pole for the Feature Race at 4.25pm later today. In F1 ACADEMY, McLaren's Ella Lloyd delivered a commanding performance to take her first win. Starting on the front row, she seized the lead at Turn 1 and never looked back. After a Safety Car restart, Lloyd pulled clear to take victory ahead of Ferrari's Maya Weug and Alisha Palmowski. Despite receiving a five-second penalty for a false start, Wild Card entrant Farah AlYousef finished 16th. Later this afternoon, Chloe Chambers will be chasing her own moment of glory as she starts from pole in Race 2 at 3.05pm. Off-track, the weekend has been just as spectacular. On Saturday night, global icon Jennifer Lopez lit up the Fan Zone with a headline performance. The multi-platinum A-lister thrilled the crowd with a high-energy set packed with hits. And more stars are set to shine tonight. After the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, R&B legend Usher will take to the main stage to close out the event. Known for his chart-topping anthems, he's expected to deliver an unforgettable finale for the fans in Jeddah. The stage is set for another thrilling race under the lights at a circuit known for its speed, unpredictability and spectacle. All eyes are on Jeddah for the fifth edition of the FORMULA 1 STC SAUDI ARABIAN GRAND PRIX which starts at 8pm. To discover more about the FORMULA 1 SAUDI ARABIAN GRAND PRIX 2025, please visit Follow us on social: Twitter: @SaudiArabianGP Instagram: @saudiarabiangp Super Max Verstappen secures sensational pole in Saudi Arabian Grand Prix Comments are closed.
Web Release
20-04-2025
- Automotive
- Web Release
Lando Norris leads the way as Formula 1 roars into life in Jeddah
The FORMULA 1 STC SAUDI ARABIAN GRAND PRIX burst into action on Friday, with the McLaren duo of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri lighting up the Jeddah Corniche Circuit during an eventful first day of track running. Throughout the afternoon and under the floodlights, fans packed into the grandstands were treated to an exciting day of practice at the fifth edition of what is regarded as the 'World's Fastest Street Race.' It was Norris who topped the timesheets in the evening session, setting the benchmark with a 1m28.340s lap on the soft compound tyre. The McLarens were the quickest runners in the cooler conditions, with team-mate Piastri just 0.163s behind. But not everyone had a smooth ride. Lance Stroll locked up into Turn 1 at the start of FP2 and spun his Aston Martin harmlessly through the run-off, while Yuki Tsunoda wasn't so lucky. The Japanese driver clipped the inside wall at the final corner, sending his Red Bull machine sliding across the track and into the barriers. The incident brought out a red flag with less than ten minutes of the session remaining. Earlier in the day, Pierre Gasly gave Alpine fans something to cheer about by going quickest in FP1 — just 0.007s ahead of Norris, with Ferrari's Charles Leclerc in third, splitting the two McLarens. A number of drivers tapped the wall across the two sessions, proving just how fine the margins are at the high-speed Jeddah Corniche Circuit. It wasn't just Formula 1 making headlines on Friday. There was plenty of action in the support categories, with American star Jak Crawford leaving it late to snatch the fastest time in Formula 2 Qualifying. He claimed the top spot on his final lap by just 0.022s from Victor Martins. So delighted was he with his time that he called it 'the greatest lap I've ever driven in my life' over team radio. It was a nail-biting finish after the session was briefly interrupted when John Bennett spun at Turn 17, triggering a red flag. There was also action in the all-female F1 ACADEMY series, as Chloe Chambers stormed to her maiden pole position in Qualifying. The Red Bull Ford driver put in a sensational effort late in the session, with a time that couldn't be matched. Doriane Pin and Maya Weug completed the top three, while Saudi wildcard entry Farah AlYousef – crowned champion at the Saudi Women's Karting Championship in 2022 – finished 17th on the timesheets. Away from the on-track drama, fans were kept entertained throughout the day with a packed schedule of activities around the Jeddah Corniche Circuit. The Fan Zone was buzzing with excitement as a number of F1 drivers made appearances, while in the evening, the Main Stage came alive with a high-energy performance from TUL8TE. With more racing to come — including F1 Qualifying and the first F1 ACADEMY and Formula 2 races — Saturday promises to deliver even more action both on and off the track. Today's line up of events will be sure to entertain Saudi Arabian fans with another full day of activities. On-track, the final Free Practice Session will be held ahead of Qualifying, where drivers will race to secure the best possible grid position ahead of Sunday's race. But it's not just F1 cars taking to the world's fastest street circuit today. F1 Academy hosts its first race of the weekend, Formula 2's Sprint Race will shortly follow, then the Porsche Sprint Cup Challenge Middle East will race on the world's fastest street circuit. Local fans will also be able to enjoy the unforgettable concert on the Main Stage where international headliner Jennifer Lopez will be performing after F1 Qualifying ends. To discover more about the FORMULA 1 SAUDI ARABIAN GRAND PRIX 2025, please visit Follow us on social : Twitter: @SaudiArabianGP Instagram: @saudiarabiangp Facebook: @saudiarabiangp
Times of Oman
19-04-2025
- Automotive
- Times of Oman
Lando Norris leads the way as Formula 1 roars into life in Jeddah
JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia: The FORMULA 1 STC SAUDI ARABIAN GRAND PRIX burst into action on Friday, with the McLaren duo of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri lighting up the Jeddah Corniche Circuit during an eventful first day of track running. Throughout the afternoon and under the floodlights, fans packed into the grandstands were treated to an exciting day of practice at the fifth edition of what is regarded as the 'World's Fastest Street Race.' It was Norris who topped the timesheets in the evening session, setting the benchmark with a 1m28.340s lap on the soft compound tyre. The McLarens were the quickest runners in the cooler conditions, with team-mate Piastri just 0.163s behind. But not everyone had a smooth ride. Lance Stroll locked up into Turn 1 at the start of FP2 and spun his Aston Martin harmlessly through the run-off, while Yuki Tsunoda wasn't so lucky. The Japanese driver clipped the inside wall at the final corner, sending his Red Bull machine sliding across the track and into the barriers. The incident brought out a red flag with less than ten minutes of the session remaining. Earlier in the day, Pierre Gasly gave Alpine fans something to cheer about by going quickest in FP1 — just 0.007s ahead of Norris, with Ferrari's Charles Leclerc in third, splitting the two McLarens. A number of drivers tapped the wall across the two sessions, proving just how fine the margins are at the high-speed Jeddah Corniche Circuit. It wasn't just Formula 1 making headlines on Friday. There was plenty of action in the support categories, with American star Jak Crawford leaving it late to snatch the fastest time in Formula 2 Qualifying. He claimed the top spot on his final lap by just 0.022s from Victor Martins. So delighted was he with his time that he called it 'the greatest lap I've ever driven in my life' over team radio. It was a nail-biting finish after the session was briefly interrupted when John Bennett spun at Turn 17, triggering a red flag. There was also action in the all-female F1 ACADEMY series, as Chloe Chambers stormed to her maiden pole position in Qualifying. The Red Bull Ford driver put in a sensational effort late in the session, with a time that couldn't be matched. Doriane Pin and Maya Weug completed the top three, while Saudi wildcard entry Farah AlYousef – crowned champion at the Saudi Women's Karting Championship in 2022 – finished 17th on the timesheets. Away from the on-track drama, fans were kept entertained throughout the day with a packed schedule of activities around the Jeddah Corniche Circuit. The Fan Zone was buzzing with excitement as a number of F1 drivers made appearances, while in the evening, the Main Stage came alive with a high-energy performance from TUL8TE. With more racing to come — including F1 Qualifying and the first F1 ACADEMY and Formula 2 races — Saturday promises to deliver even more action both on and off the track. Today's line up of events will be sure to entertain Saudi Arabian fans with another full day of activities. On-track, the final Free Practice Session will be held ahead of Qualifying, where drivers will race to secure the best possible grid position ahead of Sunday's race. But it's not just F1 cars taking to the world's fastest street circuit today. F1 Academy hosts its first race of the weekend, Formula 2's Sprint Race will shortly follow, then the Porsche Sprint Cup Challenge Middle East will race on the world's fastest street circuit. Local fans will also be able to enjoy the unforgettable concert on the Main Stage where international headliner Jennifer Lopez will be performing after F1 Qualifying ends.
Saudi Gazette
19-04-2025
- Automotive
- Saudi Gazette
Lando Norris sets the pace as Formula 1 action heats up in Jeddah
JEDDAH — Formula 1 roared into life at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit on Friday as McLaren's Lando Norris topped the timesheets during the opening day of the FORMULA 1 STC SAUDI ARABIAN GRAND PRIX 2025. Under the lights at the world's fastest street circuit, Norris clocked a blistering 1:28.340 lap on soft tyres during FP2, edging teammate Oscar Piastri by just 0.163s in a commanding McLaren one-two. The day wasn't without incident. Aston Martin's Lance Stroll spun harmlessly at Turn 1, but Yuki Tsunoda's session ended in the barriers after clipping the inside wall at the final corner, prompting a red flag with less than ten minutes remaining. Earlier, Alpine's Pierre Gasly set the pace in FP1, narrowly leading Norris by 0.007s, with Ferrari's Charles Leclerc splitting the McLaren pair in third. The tight margins and wall-tapping moments across both sessions showcased the unforgiving nature of Jeddah's high-speed layout. In Formula 2, Jak Crawford claimed a dramatic pole position, describing his last-lap flyer as 'the greatest lap I've ever driven.' A red flag caused by John Bennett's spin added tension to a thrilling session. The F1 ACADEMY also made headlines, with Red Bull Ford's Chloe Chambers securing her maiden pole position in a standout performance. Doriane Pin and Maya Weug followed in second and third respectively, while local wildcard Farah AlYousef, the 2022 Saudi Women's Karting Champion, finished 17th in her series debut. Off-track, fans enjoyed an electric atmosphere with appearances from F1 drivers, entertainment at the buzzing Fan Zone, and a high-octane concert by TUL8TE. Saturday promises even more, with Final Practice, F1 Qualifying, the first F1 ACADEMY race, Formula 2 Sprint, and the Porsche Sprint Cup Challenge Middle East all on track. The evening will culminate with a headline concert by Jennifer Lopez, adding another layer of excitement to a packed weekend of sport and entertainment in Jeddah. — SG
Gulf Insider
17-04-2025
- Automotive
- Gulf Insider
Farah Al Yousef To Race As Wild Card Entry In F1 Academy At Saudi Arabian Grand Prix
In a major boost for Saudi motorsport and female representation in racing, Farah Al Yousef will compete as a Wild Card entry in Round 2 of the 2025 F1 ACADEMY series, taking place alongside the FORMULA 1 STC SAUDI ARABIAN GRAND PRIX from April 18–20 at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit. The announcement was made by the Saudi Motorsport Company (SMC), promoter of the Grand Prix, marking another historic moment in the Kingdom's rapidly growing motorsport scene. Al Yousef becomes the second Saudi woman to compete in the F1 ACADEMY on home soil, following Reema Juffali's appearance at the same event in 2024. AlYousef, 22, is one of Saudi Arabia's rising motorsport stars. She won the Saudi Women's Karting Championship in 2022, achieved a commendable 26th place at the Karting World Finals, and will represent the Kingdom at the FW Nations Cup Finals in Dubai this May. 'Racing as a Wild Card entry in the F1 ACADEMY on home soil here in Jeddah is truly a dream come true,' said Al Yousef. '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 is an incredibly proud moment. I hope my participation inspires young girls across Saudi Arabia to believe in themselves and chase their dreams.' The F1 ACADEMY, launched in 2023, is a development series for female drivers aged 16–25, providing a dedicated platform for progression in international motorsport. The 2025 calendar features seven rounds, each running as support events to Formula 1 Grand Prix weekends across Asia, Europe, and North America. This year's championship began in Shanghai, with Jeddah set to host Round 2, before the series continues to Miami, Montreal, Zandvoort, Singapore, and Las Vegas in November. The upcoming Saudi Arabian Grand Prix marks the fifth edition of the race in Jeddah, with previous years delivering high-octane action at the world's fastest street circuit on the Red Sea coast.
