McLaren are off to a fast start, four races into the 2025 Formula 1 season. With Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri winning three of the first four races, including last week’s Bahrain Grand Prix, the Papayas have built a 58-point cushion in the constructors’ standings, putting them in a great position to win the constructors’ championship for the second straight year.
Mercedes are behind McLaren with 93 points, thanks largely to George Russell’s solid performances. After doing well in Australia, China, and Japan, the Silver Arrows suffered a setback in Bahrain, making them eager to bounce back in the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix to cut the gap between them and the Papayas.
Meanwhile, Red Bull and Ferrari are third and fourth in the constructors’ standings and have their issues to solve, while the fight to get out of the cellar is getting interesting.
Check out the latest Saudi Arabian Grand Prix 2025 updates by continuing to read below.
Russell coming into his own for Mercedes
George Russell is in the running for this year’s drivers’ championship after doing well in the first four events. After back-to-back P3s in Australia and China, the Briton was fifth in Japan but bounced back with a P2 outing last week in Bahrain. Russell’s “unbelievable” performance in Bahrain drew massive praise from his boss, Toto Wolff, because of what he had been through to achieve such a finish.
The 27-year-old started P3 on the grid and overtook Charles Leclerc for second place at the start and stayed as Oscar Piastri’s closest challenger throughout the race. Russell had to deal with a myriad of issues with his W16, such as a loss of GPS, brake-by-wire (BBW) failure, DRS issues, and almost lost his whole dash. He even had the soft tyres to try and capture the chequered flag, all while Lando Norris chased him down.
Meanwhile, teammate Kimi Antonelli was left “confused” with the Silver Arrows’ strategy calls, as he finished outside the points for the first time this year (P11). After struggling to keep pace at the start of the race, Mercedes inexplicably told Antonelli to pit three times, especially since they were worried whether his soft tyres would last in the end. The Italian said he’ll use this as a learning experience in the next few races.
Haas slowly building momentum
Oliver Bearman was one of the standout performers in Bahrain. He finished within the points territory for the second consecutive time despite the odds stacked against him. After a dismal qualifying performance that saw him start the race at the back of the grid, the 19-year-old clawed his way to notch a P10 finish.
Bearman raised eyebrows when he claimed five positions on the opening lap before continuing to make inroads through the field. Despite the Safety Car, Bearman fended off Kimi Antonelli and Alex Albon to score the final point of the race.
Meanwhile, teammate Esteban Ocon repaid the team’s trust in him after he let them down during the qualifying. After crashing out in Q2, the Frenchman recorded a P8 finish to give Haas valuable points.
History
Since 2021, the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix has had three winners. Lewis Hamilton won the first one in his last-ditch bid for his eighth world championship but ultimately came up short. Max Verstappen won in 2022 and 2024, and his former Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez won in 2023.
Verstappen had a straightforward outcome in last year’s edition. He took pole position and won the race by at least 13 seconds, and Perez and Charles Leclerc finished P2 and P3. Leclerc clocked the fastest lap of the race at 1:31.632s in lap 50. Lance Stroll (accident) and Pierre Gasly (gearbox) did not finish the race.
What are the odds?
The SBOTOP Saudi Arabian Grand Prix 2025 odds predict another Papaya victory this weekend. Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri are both priced at 1.25 odds to win, while Max Verstappen could take the third podium spot at 1.90. George Russell and Charles Leclerc are the closest challengers for P3 at 2.00 and 2.40.
Meanwhile, a points finish for Esteban Ocon is possible given his 51.00 odds, while the same outcome for Haas teammate Oliver Bearman is a long shot at 101.00, level with Carlos Sainz Jr. and Alex Albon.
With Norris and Piastri expected to lead the way, McLaren are 1.20 favourites in Jeddah, with Ferrari and Red Bull behind them both at 7.50. Betting on Mercedes could give you a huge payday, given its 9.00 odds.
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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