LEEDS, England: Premier League leaders Arsenal ended their mini-slump with an emphatic 4-0 victory at Leeds United on Saturday to move seven points clear despite Bukayo Saka being ruled out through injury just before kickoff.
Martin Zubimendi’s header and an own goal by Leeds keeper Karl Darlow put Arsenal in command before halftime, and Viktor Gyokeres’s volley and a clever finish by Gabriel Jesus wrapped things up after the break.
Arsenal’s first victory in four Premier League games moved Mikel Arteta’s side to 53 points from 24 matches with Manchester City and Aston Villa, who both play on Sunday, on 46.
“To win 4-0 here is very difficult, let’s see when the next time that happens. Big credit to the boys,” Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, who withstood a second-half soaking as the rain hammered down at Elland Road, said.
“The team showed a real dominance, resilience and character and obviously quality. I really liked the attitude of the team.”
Bottom club Wolverhampton Wanderers slipped closer to the drop as they lost 2-0 at home to Bournemouth, a result that left them 17 points behind Nottingham Forest who occupy the spot immediately above the relegation zone.
Everton moved up to eighth after Beto’s goal in the seventh minute of stoppage time earned them a 1-1 draw at Brighton & Hove Albion.
Saka’s withdrawal with a hip niggle did not bode well for Arsenal whose loss at home to Manchester United last week following consecutive 0-0 draws had raised questions about their nerve as they seek their first title since 2004.
With Leeds having lost only once in their last 10 league games it looked like being a real test of Arsenal’s mettle.
They passed it in style, however, as the depth of their squad was again apparent with Saka’s replacement Noni Madueke making a huge impact. It was his cross that Zubimendi met to put Arsenal in front after 27 minutes and his corner which was fumbled into his own goal by Darlow.
The raucous Elland Road crowd tried to lift their side but there was no way back after substitute Gabriel Martinelli did brilliantly down the right and whipped in a low cross that Gyokeres met with a volley past Darlow.
Martinelli’s fellow Brazilian Jesus, also off the bench, then showed sparkling footwork before curling in a clinical finish in the 86th minute.
Fifth-placed Chelsea host third-bottom West Ham United later on Saturday and champions Liverpool entertain Newcastle United to complete the day’s action.
Leaders Arsenal end slump with 4-0 romp at Leeds
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Leaders Arsenal end slump with 4-0 romp at Leeds
- Martin Zubimendi’s header and an own goal by Leeds keeper Karl Darlow put Arsenal in command before halftime
- Arsenal’s first victory in four Premier League games moved Mikel Arteta’s side to 53 points
‘20 years of engagement’ — inaugural Formula 4 championship success signals bright future for motorsport in Saudi Arabia
- Peter Thompson, founder of the Formula 4 Saudi Arabian Championship and Meritus.GP team principal, spoke about the Kingdom’s first motorsport academy and his hopes for the future
RIYADH: Last year welcomed the inaugural season of the FIA-certified Aramco Formula 4 Saudi Arabian Championship.
The series, which aims to provide the first step on the ladder towards Formula 1, was the culmination of years of collaboration between various investors and partners, led by the Kingdom’s first motorsport academy, Meritus.GP.
The championship’s mission?
To produce local driving talent, strengthen Saudi national race engineering capabilities and advance motorsport in alignment with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030.
Five Saudi drivers emerged, with standout victories by Omar Al-Dereyaan and Faisal Al-Kabbani, both from Riyadh. Other graduates included race winner Oscar Wurz, who has since won the 2025 Central European Formula 4 Championship.
Arab News spoke with Peter Thompson, founder of Formula 4 Saudi Arabia and Meritus.GP, about the season’s success and his hopes for the future.
How did Meritus.GP build the Formula 4 Saudi Arabian Championship?
The Formula 4 Saudi Arabian Championship was the result of more than 20 years of engagement, exploration and groundwork in Saudi Arabia, in anticipation of a potential FIA-certified junior single-seater championship in the Kingdom.
Long before the first Formula 1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, we were on the ground exploring circuit development opportunities, assessing infrastructure readiness and evaluating whether Saudi Arabia could host a round of one of the Asian championships operated by the team. Throughout this period, we maintained long-standing relationships within Saudi motorsport circles including former Meritus.GP driver Raad Abduljawad and his brother Mohammed Abduljawad.
A defining moment came with the introduction of Formula 1 to Saudi Arabia. The Jeddah Corniche Circuit quickly became a visible symbol of this ambition, providing confidence that Saudi Arabia could support not only Formula One, but also a structured ladder of junior single-seater racing.
When did Meritus.GP receive formal institutional approval to begin Formula 4 Saudi Arabia?
More than three years of focused groundwork preceded the first race. During this period there was no formal government mandate, no guaranteed institutional backing and no commercial certainty that the project would proceed or be viable.
Then, in December 2022, a formal No-Objection Letter was issued by the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation, under the leadership of its then-CEO Sattam Al-Hozami, which allowed the project to progress from concept to reality.
Recognizing the benefits F4 would bring to the Kingdom, Mohammed Abduljawad became an investor in June 2023, and Formula 4 Saudi Arabia moved into full delivery mode.
What were the objectives of the proposal presented to Saudi Aramco?
The proposal positioned Aramco Formula 4 Saudi Arabia as a long-term national development platform aligned with Vision 2030.
Its objectives included creating a structured FIA driver pathway from grassroots to Formula One, as well as developing Saudi engineers, mechanics and officials in motorsports.
How did the championship support Saudi drivers, and what was the impact on local talent?
A core objective of Formula 4 Saudi Arabia was to create a genuine, fair and internationally credible environment in which Saudi racers could develop.
Saudi drivers competed alongside international peers under identical technical and sporting conditions, allowing performance and development to be measured objectively.
They ended up achieving race wins, podium finishes and measurable progress across the season, demonstrating that when provided with the right structure, Saudi talent can compete at international level.
How has Formula 4 Saudi Arabia engaged with Saudi education and skills development?
Education and skills transfer formed an important part of the championship’s wider mission.
During the season, Meritus.GP engineers and senior staff visited Saudi education and research institutions such as KAUST, Alfaisal University, University of Tabuk and the Japanese College in Jeddah to discuss career pathways in motorsport engineering, data analysis, and systems integration. These engagements were designed to connect academic study with real-world high-performance engineering environments.
What level of investment was required and how did you ensure equality of performance?
Approximately $6.5 million was invested prior to the first event.
Was there any pre-season training to help Saudi drivers prepare?
During August and September 2023 Saudi drivers participated in a structured pre-season academy program at Meritus.GP’s training facility in Sepang, Malaysia.
What role did sports psychology and driver well-being play in the championship?
Driver well-being and mental performance were treated as integral components of driver development.
Formula 4 Saudi Arabia appointed a dedicated sports psychologist to support drivers throughout the season, focusing on mental preparation, confidence building, coping strategies, performance consistency and adaptation to high-pressure racing environments.
