McLaren have been backed to side with Oscar Piastri after he showed he is capable of outwitting Max Verstappen at the F1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. Piastri claimed his third victory in five races with another outstanding drive in Jeddah to move into the lead of the world championship by 10 points from his McLaren teammate Lando Norris.

Oscar Piastri may have won three out of the opening five races in 2025, but the Australian driver issued a blunt warning to his own team.

After retaining the position despite Piastri’s complaints, the stewards hit Verstappen with a five-second time penalty. The McLaren star inherited the lead through the pit cycle as a result and kept his rival at arm’s length throughout the second stint, answering the reigning world champion’s attacks at every step of the way.