Formula 1 roars back into action this weekend at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit for Round 5 of the 2025 FIA Formula One World Championship.
The Saudi Arabian Grand Prix is set on one of the most exhilarating venues of the season — a high-speed street circuit renowned for its flowing corners and long straights.
Measuring 6.174 km (3.836 miles) and featuring a staggering 27 turns, Jeddah holds the distinction of being the longest street circuit on the Formula 1 calendar.
With three DRS zones and a reputation for edge-of-the-seat racing, the circuit remains a favourite among drivers and fans alike. Lewis Hamilton holds the lap record here, clocking a 1:30.734 in 2021 behind the wheel of his Mercedes.
As teams prepared for this weekend, several brought significant updates aimed at optimizing performance in Jeddah’s unique conditions. Racing Bulls, Haas, and Kick Sauber introduced new front and rear wings as they evaluated different downforce configurations.
Ferrari and Aston Martin also rolled out updated rear wings. New lower beam wings — a key aerodynamic component often paired with rear wing changes to enhance diffuser efficiency — have also been fitted on the Racing Bulls, Ferrari, and Kick Sauber cars.
Red Bull, adapting to the demands of the Saudi heat, changed its rear cooling system, opening it up for better airflow. A new lower beam wing has also been introduced.
Kick Sauber made a bold move by fitting entirely new floors to its cars—a significant update that could influence their aerodynamic balance and grip.
McLaren brought two key upgrades: a revised diffuser and modified ducted winglets located on the inner edge of the rear tyres. The new diffuser is designed to boost airflow under the car and enhance rear downforce, while the winglet update could offer valuable gains at a circuit where average speeds are among the highest on the calendar.
Free Practice 1:
On track, Oscar Piastri was among the first to set a representative time on the medium tyres, going fastest early with a 1:31.548 — two-tenths quicker than Max Verstappen.
Most drivers began the session on medium compounds, with the exception of Carlos Sainz, Oliver Bearman, and Esteban Ocon, who opted for the hard tyres.
Lando Norris soon took control, going over a second faster than Piastri with a 1:30.454. Piastri followed closely, just one-tenth adrift, while rookie Isack Hadjar slotted into seventh, a second off the pace.
George Russell briefly broke the McLaren hold on the timesheets, going fastest with a 1:30.425 before Norris reclaimed the top spot with a blistering 1:29.980. Piastri made it a McLaren one-two once again, just three-tenths behind his teammate.
Liam Lawson’s initial lap times placed him at the bottom of the timing screens, nearly two seconds off the pace. However, the team later clarified this was due to setup experimentation rather than outright pace. Race control also noted Lawson for not adhering to the race director’s instructions.
Yuki Tsunoda, fresh off his first points for Red Bull in Bahrain, impressed once again, going fourth fastest — just half a second off Russell’s 1:29.674.
Most of the field returned to the circuit on soft tyres at the halfway point. Norris surged to the top again with a 1:29.246, a full four-tenths clear of Russell. Tsunoda continued to show strong form, ending the session within a tenth of teammate Verstappen as the Red Bulls occupied fifth and sixth positions.
Pierre Gasly then stole the spotlight, setting the fastest session time with a 1:29.239 — narrowly edging out Norris by just 0.007s.
Lawson and Hadjar returned to the track in the final minutes after extended stints in the garage. Lawson climbed to 11th with a 1:29.907, just six-tenths off the fastest time and less than a tenth behind Tsunoda and Verstappen. He completed only 16 laps, compared to 23 for the Red Bull duo.
Hadjar completed just 13 laps but improved late to go 15th with a 1:30.011, 0.772s adrift of Gasly.
After a busy and closely contested FP1, the top 10 drivers were covered by just five-tenths of a second — setting the stage for what promises to be a thrilling weekend in Jeddah.
In the closing moments of the session, it was confirmed that Lawson had been summoned to race control post-session after twice crossing the white line at pit entry. While the infraction is unlikely to result in a sporting penalty, a warning or minor fine could be issued as a procedural reprimand.
However, Lawson will need to tread carefully moving forward. After collecting four penalty points in Bahrain, his tally now stands at five — nearing the halfway mark of the 12-point limit permitted within 12 months. Any further incidents could start to carry more serious consequences.
Lawson received a reprimand for the practice infringement. Stewards determined that a more substantial penalty wasn’t necessary since the incident occurred during practice and offered no competitive advantage.
Header Image: Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool
