Piastri hits the heights

JEDDAH: Oscar Piastri left Jeddah the new world championship leader after another statement win in the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

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The man from Melbourne displayed plenty of steel beneath that calm and composed exterior to take the fight to pole sitter Max Verstappen at the first turn.

Verstappen's five-second penalty for gaining an advantage when going off the track in that pivotal moment with the race only seconds old contributed to Piastri's third win from five races this year.

But he still had to use all his guile and grit to hold off the Red Bull ace to the line, with Charles Leclerc securing Ferrari's first podium of the season in third.

Here AFP Sport looks at three talking points from the fifth round of the 24-race season:

AUSSIE RULES

Piastri is now the bookmakers' new favourite to deny Verstappen a record-equalling fifth consecutive drivers' title and one man who has played a huge role in the 24-year-old's progress is his manager, Mark Webber.

Fittingly Piastri became the first Aussie to lead the championship since Webber 15 years ago.