Max Verstappen, Red Bull, Saudi Arabia, 2025 — Photo: © IMAGO

Saudi Grand Prix

Verstappen controversy at Saudi Grand Prix as Red Bull crash brings out safety car

The Saudi Arabian Grand Prix got off to a stunning start

Sam Cook Digital Journalist

Sports Journalist who has been covering motorsport since 2023

Sunday 20 April 2025 19:27 Updated: 20:21

Max Verstappen was involved in a fierce fight at the front on lap one of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, resulting in a five-second penalty for the four-time world champion.

Verstappen's team-mate Yuki Tsunoda crashed out on lap one, as his good qualifying work was undone early on.

The Japanese star helped Red Bull to have both of their drivers in the top eight for the first time since the 2024 Azerbaijan GP following his Saturday qualifying, but he suffered a crash with Alpine's Pierre Gasly into turn four, and subsequently had to retire the car.

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Gasly also had to retire, with his badly damaged Alpine causing a safety car to be called at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit in a chaotic race start.

Meanwhile, Tsunoda's team-mate Verstappen had a poor start from pole position, and was involved in a huge battle with Oscar Piastri, with Verstappen going off-track and just maintaining his lead over the McLaren driver.

Rather than being asked to hand the position back to Piastri, Verstappen was slammed with a five-second time penalty, which is likely to hamper his race later on.

Poor start for Red Bull

With Verstappen on pole and Tsunoda up in eighth, Red Bull would have been hoping to close the gap to second-placed Mercedes in the constructors' championship ahead of the race in Saudi Arabia.

However, Tsunoda's crash means he will score zero points, and Verstappen's penalty may have severely damaged his chances of winning the race, all on lap one.

Following Verstappen's attempt at defending his first-place position from Piastri, the Australian driver pleaded with engineer Tom Stallard on team radio, saying about Verstappen: "He was never going to make that corner regardless whether I was there or not."

Meanwhile, Verstappen was not happy after being handed the FIA verdict: "Well that is f****** lovely," he proclaimed.

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Red Bull Max Verstappen Alpine Yuki Tsunoda Pierre Gasly Saudi Arabian Grand Prix