Jeddah 2025: One of the Closest Qualifyings Ever?

Formula 1 felt alive again.

From the very start of Q1, the energy was palpable—like watching fireworks go off one after the other, except each car was a fuse, and the track was ready to ignite. The entire field was separated by just 1.5 seconds, and the Q1 cut-off time was within eight-tenths of the leader. Eight-tenths! That’s the sort of compression that makes your heart race as a fan—and probably gives strategists sleepless nights.

It was pure chaos, in the best way possible. The McLarens, Red Bulls, and Ferraris couldn’t afford to sit still. Everyone was out there, lap after lap, because track evolution was so high that whoever crossed the line last was almost guaranteed the fastest time. It became a masterclass in timing, coordination, and risk. You couldn’t go too early. You couldn’t go too late. Teams had to be razor-sharp, and drivers had to be fearless.

This is what makes Jeddah such a beast. It’s a driver’s track—27 corners, most of them high-speed, walls brushing your tires, and no room for error. One small mistake in Turn 14? You’re still paying for it in Turn 22. That’s why I say: Max’s lap wasn’t perfect. But it was enough. And right now, Red Bull isn’t unbeatable. Max Verstappen is. The car isn’t carrying him. He’s dragging it forward.

Oscar Piastri came heartbreakingly close—just a thousandth off Verstappen. But honestly, that lap was poetry. The McLaren had pace all weekend, and Oscar delivered exactly when it mattered. It’s going to be a real fight tomorrow at the front—P1, P2, and P3 are all in this. For once, it doesn’t feel like the race is already over before it starts.

Lando Norris, though…

I hate to say it, but that’s now five times this season he’s lost a Q3 lap—China Sprint, Chinese GP, Japan, Bahrain, and now Jeddah. It’s frustrating, especially when he’s the championship leader. He’s got the car. He’s got the team. He just needs to string one perfect lap together. In a season where pole position has translated into race wins nearly every time, starting P10 on such a narrow street circuit might make Sunday a steep climb.

George Russell deserves a round of applause.

Quiet through Q1 and Q2, then boom—pulls out a stellar lap in Q3 and qualifies right in the mix. That’s the consistency we’ve come to expect from him. And can we talk about how exhilarating the onboard laps are around Jeddah? Every twitch, every correction, every brush against the wall—it’s racing in its purest, most dangerous form.

Charles Leclerc wasn’t satisfied with P4, and that tells you something. Ferrari is improving. But as it stands, it’s mostly on his side of the garage. Lewis Hamilton is still struggling. He hasn’t looked comfortable all weekend—still adapting to the Ferrari culture, the brakes, the engine braking, everything. He’s in P7 now. I’d say best-case scenario, he fights to P5 tomorrow. That’s his ceiling right now, but it’ll get better with time.

Yuki Tsunoda? Mega.

He’s been putting in real shifts this season, and Jeddah was no different. Close all session, and clearly outperforming Liam Lawson. This is the kind of form that keeps you in the conversation for bigger opportunities. He’s showing maturity, pace, and confidence—and I’m here for it.

Carlos Sainz in P6—blasphemous in the best way.

That lap was spicy. This is the version of Sainz I love seeing: assertive, aggressive, and sharp. For the first time since Bahrain, he’s ahead of Alex Albon. If he keeps this up, Williams could surprise a few people in the midfield.

Racing Bulls and Haas? A reality check.

They started the season strong, but Bahrain and now Saudi Arabia have brought them back to Earth. That said, Ollie Bearman making it to Q2 was a huge win for Haas. He’s already equaled the all-time best Q2 record for an Estonian team rookie (okay, fictional stat, but still—you get me).

All in all, this was one of the best qualifying sessions I’ve seen in a long time. Tight field. Brutal margins. Strategy meets chaos. And now with the C3, C4, and C5 compounds in play, Sunday could be explosive. Jeddah is narrow. Incidents are inevitable. Don’t be shocked if a red flag or a perfectly timed VSC flips the script completely.

This wasn’t just qualifying. This was Formula 1 at its rawest.

Let’s see who survives the storm tomorrow!

-Lights Out