Ferrari beat their own record in Jeddah with the quickest pit stop of 2025
Having dominated the pit stops across the opening four rounds, Ferrari continued where it left off, recording the quickest tyre service at last Sunday's Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
After Bahrain, Formula 1 moved on to Jeddah in the neighboring country of Saudi Arabia, where the drivers and teams were equally challenged by the high temperatures. The race developed into an energy-sapping test of strength in which Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc secured his first podium finish of the year.
Starting the race from fourth place, Leclerc remained within striking distance of George Russell in the Mercedes. Although the Monegasque was unable to get involved in the battle for victory on the day, he was at least able to deprive Russell of third place. And his pit crew certainly played their part.
Mercedes decided to change from medium to hard tires for Russell as early as lap 20. Leclerc turned into the pit lane nine laps later as the last driver still out on mediums. The Ferrari crew fitted his car with hard tires in exactly 2.0 seconds, claiming the DHL Fastest Pit Stop and at the same time beating their own record set in the 2025 Chinese Grand Prix.
Back on the track, Leclerc used his fresher tires to good effect, snatching a first podium finish of the year with P3. "We did the perfect race,” said Leclerc afterwards. “Strategy perfect, pit stops perfect again." The 27-year-old was even more effusive in his praise for the Ferrari pit crew: "The mechanics are doing an incredible job. We have been dominating the pit stop battle since the beginning of the season, all thanks to the hard work they have done."
Leclerc's 2.0-second stop was not only the quickest of the Jeddah race, but the entire season so far. Interestingly, Ferrari recorded the second-fastest tyre change as well when they serviced Lewis Hamilton in just 2.07s.
The Maranello-based outfit stole a march on the rest of the field as Mercedes completed the third-quickest stop, but it took 2.32s for the Brackley-based squad. Kick Sauber continued its struggle for pace in Jeddah, but the Hinwil-based outift's mechanics were quick in the pit lane, having completed the fourth-quickest stop (2.36s).
Interestingly, apart from Ferrari, teams were relatively slow in the pit lane in Jeddah, having failed to deliver the quick stops they usually do, with only nine stops having taken less than three seconds.
