From the heart of the desert to the shores of the Red Sea, Formula 1 heads to Saudi Arabia for the second leg of its 2025 Middle Eastern triple-header. After a challenging but rewarding weekend in Bahrain, the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team is gearing up for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, aiming for yet another strong performance.
Reflecting on Bahrain
Before we pack our bags and head towards the Corniche, there’s plenty to reflect on from the intense weekend in Bahrain. Our result wasn’t certain until the very final moments of the race.
“Bahrain was an eventful race,” said Toto Wolff, Team Principal. “George battled through several issues with his car but still managed to secure P2, alongside the team’s third podium of the season. It was a fantastic drive from him, especially under immense pressure, and the calm, effective troubleshooting from the team played a key role.”
Despite the podium finish, Toto made it clear that the team is focused on addressing the issues that arose during the race. “We are diligently working to understand the problems George faced in Bahrain, and we are determined to prevent them from recurring in the future.”
A Step Forward for Kimi
While there were no record-breaking achievements in Bahrain, the weekend marked an important milestone in Kimi’s development as an F1 driver.
Toto commented, “For Kimi, Bahrain was an essential part of his learning process. He demonstrated the pace to challenge for a top-five finish, but unfortunately, he found himself out of position on the opening lap. His tire management suffered as he fought his way back, and although we switched strategies, the timing of the Safety Car and our decisions meant that he couldn’t recover to the points.”
“It’s easy to forget that Kimi is still in the early stages of his F1 career, especially given his performances so far. Bahrain will certainly be a key stepping stone in his ongoing development.”
Eyes on Jeddah
Looking ahead to Jeddah, Toto knows the Saudi Arabian GP presents a different set of challenges. As one of the most iconic and high-speed circuits on the calendar, Jeddah demands a unique approach from the drivers and teams.
“While we were encouraged by our performance in Bahrain, Jeddah presents a different challenge altogether,” said Toto. “Unlike Bahrain, which is more rear-limited, Jeddah has a track layout that favors a more front-limited setup, with several high and medium-speed corners. It would be unwise to try and predict the likely order, but we’ll be pushing hard, as always, to fight for another podium finish.”
As Mercedes-AMG Petronas heads into the Saudi Arabian GP, the team remains determined to continue their strong start to the season and aims to keep their momentum going, aiming for the podium once again.
For more information, visit : Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team
