F1 Results Today: Gasly SHOCKS Field as Hamilton and Verstappen S…read more

Gasly Stuns Field as Hamilton and Verstappen Struggle in Saudi Arabian Grand Prix FP1

Pierre Gasly delivered one of the biggest surprises of the 2025 Formula 1 season so far by topping the timesheets in the first practice session of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. The Alpine driver outpaced a highly competitive field to secure the fastest time, leaving fans and teams stunned particularly as reigning world champion Max Verstappen and seven-time title holder Lewis Hamilton found themselves well down the order.

Gasly, who has had a relatively quiet start to the season, made a statement on Friday by setting the pace on soft tyres at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit. His strong performance saw him finish just ahead of McLaren’s Lando Norris, the current championship leader, who continues to show impressive consistency in 2025. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc slotted into third, splitting the two McLarens, with Oscar Piastri finishing in fourth to reinforce McLaren’s strong start to the weekend.

Alex Albon delivered a solid lap to take fifth for Williams, followed by George Russell in sixth for Mercedes. Carlos Sainz, now also driving for Williams, impressed with a seventh-place result, just ahead of a disappointing Lewis Hamilton, who finished eighth for Ferrari. Verstappen, who has been struggling to find rhythm in the Red Bull this season, ended the session in ninth—well off the form that saw him dominate in previous years.

Rounding out the top ten was Yuki Tsunoda in the second Red Bull, showing more pace than expected from the Japanese driver.

While FP1 marks the first taste of action on track for the weekend, it’s important to note that the session was held during daylight hours, making it less representative of the true pace teams will show under race conditions. FP2, which takes place under the lights at 8pm local time the same time as both qualifying and the Grand Prix will offer a much clearer picture of who’s looking strongest in Jeddah.

Elsewhere on the grid, there were dramatic moments for Haas rookie Ollie Bearman. The young Brit locked up going into Turn 1 and grazed the barrier, narrowly avoiding a heavy crash. Although he suffered some damage to his front wing, Bearman was able to recover and make his way back to the pits without major incident.

Meanwhile, Liam Lawson, driving for Racing Bulls, came under scrutiny during the session. He was placed under investigation by the FIA for allegedly failing to comply with the race director’s instructions—a matter that will be reviewed post-session and could result in a reprimand or penalty.

Full FP1 Results – Saudi Arabian GP 2025:

1. Pierre Gasly (Alpine)

2. Lando Norris (McLaren)

3. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)

4. Oscar Piastri (McLaren)

5. Alex Albon (Williams)

6. George Russell (Mercedes)

7. Carlos Sainz (Williams)

8. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari)

9. Max Verstappen (Red Bull)

10. Yuki Tsunoda (Red Bull)

11. Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls)

12. Nico Hulkenberg (Kick Sauber)

13. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes)

14. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin)

15. Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls)

16. Jack Doohan (Alpine)

17. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin)

18. Ollie Bearman (Haas)

19. Esteban Ocon (Haas)

20. Gabriel Bortoleto (Kick Sauber)

Current F1 Champion

Max Verstappen is still the defending champion after winning his fourth consecutive drivers’ title in 2024. However, his slow start to the 2025 season and lack of dominance in early sessions like FP1 suggest he may be in for a much tougher title fight this year.