2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix preview, odds & betting tips

The 2025 Formula 1 season rolls into Jeddah for round five of the championship, with Max Verstappen claiming pole and Oscar Piastri joining him on the front row for Sunday’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix under the lights. The main race gets underway at 3am AEST, and with major drama unfolding in Q3, the grid has a few surprises in store.

Verstappen leads, Piastri shines & Norris hits the wall

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen once again proved unstoppable over one lap, securing pole position on the high-speed streets of Jeddah. It marks his second pole of the season at a circuit where overtaking opportunities are limited, making track position absolutely crucial — especially in a race that often hinges on safety car timing.

Although begining on pole Verstappen sits at the second line of betting at $2.25 with BetOnline behind Oscar Piastri at $2.00.

Joining him on the front row is Oscar Piastri, who impresses in his third full season with McLaren. The Aussie nailed his first sector in Q3 and now finds himself in prime position to fight for a podium — or potentially more — on race day.

McLaren teammate Lando Norris wasn’t as fortunate. The Brit was on a flying lap that looked good enough for a front-row start before clipping the wall in Sector 2, damaging his suspension and bringing out the red flags. He’ll start from P10 and faces an uphill battle, with the Jeddah circuit notoriously punishing if caught in a DRS train.

Norris is now the longest price he’s been all season to win a race, currently sitting at $11 with top online bookmakers.

2025 Saudi Arabia Grand Prix Odds

The battle for top spot at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix is heating up, with Oscar Piastri now the narrow favourite ahead of Max Verstappen. George Russell and Lando Norris share the next line of betting, while Ferrari and Mercedes outsiders round out the field.

• Oscar Piastri (McLaren) – +100
• Max Verstappen (Red Bull) – +125
• George Russell (Mercedes) – +1000
• Lando Norris (McLaren) – +1000
• Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) – +2200
• Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) – +6600
• Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) – +6600
• Carlos Sainz (Williams) – +25000
• Pierre Gasly (Alpine) – +30000
• Yuki Tsunoda (Red Bull) – +30000

More odds provided at BetOnline

Suadi Arabia GP betting predictions after qualifying

Max Verstappen (Red Bull) to win

Max Verstappen silenced the doubters after a disappointing outing in Bahrain, bouncing back in style to claim pole position in Jeddah. With the pole-sitter having won four of the last five races at this circuit, all signs point to Verstappen dominating the streets of Jeddah once again.

Carlos Sainz (Williams) top six finish

Carlos Sainz looks to have finally found his rhythm in the Williams, qualifying an impressive P6 in Jeddah. After an unlucky DNF last week due to contact with Yuki Tsunoda, Sainz was showing strong pace and proving he still has what it takes to mix it with the top teams. If he gets a clean run, he’s every chance to hold position and bank solid points.

George Russell (Mercedes) podium finish

George Russell is just dominating that P3 position. The risk here is that Lando Norris makes up positions through the field and challenges P3 however expect a DRS train during the race and struggle to get through. Russell will challenge the Mclaren but the Mercedes car looks to struggle to keep up as seen during the

Saudi Arabia GP Starting Grid and Qualifying Times

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