Pascal Wehrlein produced a dominant drive under the Jeddah lights to claim victory in the first of two races in Saudi Arabia
Starting from fourth on the grid, the Season 10 title-winner executed his race to perfection — managing energy early, striking at exactly the right moment, and controlling the race once it mattered most.
Wehrlein was patient in the opening stages. With the PitBoost window looming, the Porsche driver began to position himself for the critical phase of the race. Just before the stops opened, Wehrlein launched his attack and made two decisive moves, jumping from fourth to second by passing Maximilian Günther and Norman Nato.
Günther briefly took control at the front after the DS Penske driver committed to Attack Mode early, before the pit stop window. That decision helped him gain track position in the short term, but it forced Wehrlein into a response and he pitted to take his PitBoost.
Once the round of PitBoost stops had cycled through, Wehrlein hit the front — and from there, the race became a demonstration of control. He immediately began stretching his advantage, building an eight-second lead as those behind fought for position and tried to recover from earlier strategic compromises.
That gap was later cut down to around three seconds by Edoardo Mortara, who charged through the field after a dramatic start.
Mortara had lined up on pole position but suffered a huge amount of wheelspin when the lights went out, dropping him all the way down to sixth.
The Mahindra driver regrouped brilliantly, delaying his one and only Attack Mode until late in the race. That timing proved crucial, allowing him to carve through the field and secure an impressive second place.
Mitch Evans completed the podium in third, continuing his strong form after his win in Miami. The Kiwi timed his final Attack Mode late and used it to defend his position and lock down the final step on the podium in the closing stages.
Nissan and DS Penske Left With Questions
While Wehrlein’s victory was built on flawless execution, the race also raised serious questions for Nissan and DS Penske.
Norman Nato looked on course for a major result after taking the lead on Lap 5 and holding it until Lap 14. However, the Frenchman was running around 2% down on energy compared to those around him, forcing him to drop back as the race developed.
Although he briefly recovered to sixth after using Attack Mode, he was vulnerable to drivers behind with stronger energy profiles and better-timed boosts. Nato ultimately tumbled down the order and finished a disappointing 13th, outside of the points.
DS Penske suffered a similar story. Günther led early on, but his decision to take Attack Mode early proved costly in the second half of the race. Without the extra power later when it mattered most, he became a sitting duck and fell out of contention, eventually finishing 11th.
Big Recoveries and Tight Midfield Battles
Behind the podium, Nico Müller delivered a standout performance for Porsche, using a late Attack Mode to climb into fourth and collect a valuable 12 points.
Antonio Félix da Costa finished fifth for Jaguar after a solid, controlled race, while Nick Cassidy produced one of the drives of the day — charging from 13th on the grid to finish sixth.
Further back, Sébastien Buemi made a sensational recovery from 19th to finish seventh, with Jean-Éric Vergne taking eighth for Citroën. Jake Dennis finished ninth for Andretti, and Taylor Barnard grabbed the final point in 10th, despite running in the top four before the PitBoost stops.
Dan Ticktum scored his first finish of the season, coming home in 12th. Reigning World Champion Oliver Rowland could only manage 17th.
