No surprises in the Grand Prix of Saudi Arabia. Max Verstappen once again stood head and shoulders above the rest and also won the second GP of the still early F1 season. Just like last week in Bahrain, Sergio Perez was allowed to join his teammate on the podium.
beat Max Verstappen? You better do that by passing him right at the start. Because once the Dutchman is at the top of an F1 race, he usually no longer gives up that position. Charles Leclerc knew what he had to do. But Verstappen got off to a perfect start and Ferrari's Monegasque had to deal with Serio Perez who wanted to overtake him in the first corner. He didn't let it get to that point.
A few laps later Perez caught Leclerc. With the help of the DRS, the Mexican went over Leclerc. Verstappen had already opened a gap of 2.5 seconds. What’s new?
After a fifth race, Verstappen was no longer at the top of the race. After a pit stop, the three-time world champion had to leave the leading position to Lando Norris, who, together with Lewis Hamilton, was the only one left on the track. The Briton ended up in third place after Verstappen.
But Red Bull also has a strong car this season and they showed that in Saudi Arabia. While Max Verstappen reclaimed his first place, Sergio Perez passed Hamilton, who also saw Charles Leclerc pass moments later. He also had his sights set on P2, but in the meantime Perez had already pulled away from the Norris-Leclerc duo by 7 seconds.
After a few attempts, Leclerc eventually managed to move past Lando Norris into third place. But winning was not possible for the Monegasque today, who managed to record the fastest race lap at the last minute.
Max Verstappen once again stood head and shoulders above the opposition. The Dutchman achieved a two out of two score in Saudi Arabia. Good for the 56th GP victory of his career and the 100th time he has stood on the podium. Sergio Perez took second place despite a five-second time penalty, while Leclerc took third place on the podium.
Also worth mentioning: Oliver Bearman's performance. The 18-year-old replacement for Carlos Sainz, who was suffering from appendicitis, immediately finished in the points for Ferrari. The youngest debutant in Formula 1 after Verstappen and Lance Stroll finished seventh.
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