The Formula 1 season continues rapidly as we head to the fifth round of the 2025 championship, the Saudi Arabian GP, held under the floodlights at the thrilling Jeddah Corniche Circuit. McLaren has come out as the team to watch at the start of the season. Red Bull has always been the team to beat at this event, but the early-season form suggests a close contest is on the cards around the Red Sea. But who will conquer this ultra-fast street circuit and get on the podium?
Here’s our prediction for the top three finishers in Jeddah, with a prominent name looking to challenge.
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2025 Saudi Arabian GP Winner: Lando Norris (+125)
There is no way that Lando Norris will not be on the top step of the podium in Saudi Arabia. McLaren has been quick so far in the early races and Norris is currently leading the drivers’ championship albeit by a small margin. After the Bahrain Grand Prix where McLaren boss Andrea Stella said he was “unfair on himself,” Norris has four podiums and a win to his name. The odds also make him a co-favourite to win at +125. With Red Bull having taken three of the last four wins in Jeddah, the current momentum of McLaren and the small difference in odds between their drivers means we may see a new winner.
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2nd Place: Oscar Piastri (+125)
Oscar Piastri will be the second driver in what could be a McLaren one-two. The young Australian has been equally good this season, just three points behind his teammate in the championship standings with two wins. Piastri has the same odds as Norris (+125), which shows a high belief in McLaren’s ability to perform well at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit. The Jeddah circuit, a temporary street circuit with high-speed flowing corners, seems well suited to the characteristics of the McLaren car. If McLaren can keep up the pace they set in the first races, a Piastri second place is very likely.
3rd Place: George Russell (+1200)
Our choice for the last spot on the podium is George Russell of Mercedes. Although Mercedes has not been able to match the pace of McLaren, Russell has been solid, sitting fourth in the drivers’ championship. The odds of +1200 make him an outsider compared to the McLaren duo and Max Verstappen, but there is cause to think he could get a podium. Last year’s Saudi Arabian GP showed that teams other than Red Bull can make it to the podium, as Charles Leclerc finished third. If Mercedes had made more improvements to its car, Russell would have had the skill and consistency to be in the fight for the win.
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Could Challenge at Saudi Arabian GP (4th): Max Verstappen (+900)
This year, despite Red Bull’s good record at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit, where Max Verstappen has won twice, we think he will finish just outside the podium. Even though Verstappen is a great driver and the current champion, McLaren has a significant pace advantage. Helmut Marko, the Red Bull advisor, has even stated that Verstappen may leave the team. Last year’s winner in Jeddah, Verstappen, is listed at higher odds than the McLaren drivers for this year’s event. However, Verstappen is a great driver, and Red Bull is a strong team, so he cannot be ruled out. He is the most likely to challenge the predicted top three.
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Thanks to the fast circuit, the 2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix is set to be an action-packed race. McLaren’s early-season performance suggests that they are the team to beat, and Norris and Piastri are going to come in strong. George Russell could pick up from any mistakes made by the leaders, and Max Verstappen will most likely give it his all to close the gap with McLaren. Get ready for an exciting new instalment of the 2025 Formula 1 season as it happens under the desert lights.
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