Max Verstappen has continued his title defence in fantastic type by taking a dominant victory within the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, whereas an action-packed occasion unfolded behind him.
The Dutchman loved a powerful begin from pole because the 50-lap race acquired underway and, from there, held an assured lead, regardless of an early Security Automotive sparking a flurry of motion within the pit lane the place Crimson Bull have been amongst the groups to threat a double-stack technique.
Sergio Perez got here house in P2 to mark a second consecutive one-two end result for the squad. The Mexican was handed a five-second time penalty for an unsafe launch into the trail of Fernando Alonso throughout that busy go to to the pits, however held sufficient of a niche to third-placed Charles Leclerc to maintain his place.
Leclerc accomplished the rostrum forward of Oscar Piastri in fourth, with the Australian having spent a good portion of the race looking for a well past Lewis Hamilton who was one of many few drivers within the area to remain out through the early run of pit stops.
1 Max Verstappen VER Crimson Bull Racing |
1:20:43.273 | 25 |
2 Sergio Perez PER Crimson Bull Racing |
+13.643s | 18 |
3 Charles Leclerc LEC Ferrari |
+18.639s | 16 |
4 Oscar Piastri PIA McLaren |
+32.007s | 12 |
5 Fernando Alonso ALO Aston Martin |
+35.759s | 10 |
Fernando Alonso held onto fifth as the only real Aston Martin to stay within the race, with staff mate Lance Stroll having been the reason for the Security Automotive call-out following a crash into the limitations on Lap 7. Alonso had withheld strain from the Mercedes of George Russell within the latter levels, however the Briton finally needed to accept sixth.
It was a memorable Components 1 debut for Oliver Bearman, standing in for Carlos Sainz at Ferrari after the Spaniard was identified with appendicitis earlier on Friday. The teenager scored his first factors by securing P7, throughout a powerful drive by which he carried out a number of overtakes.
Bearman led a pack of British drivers, with Lando Norris ending the day in P8 forward of Hamilton in P9. Each Norris and Hamilton had stretched out their opening stints on the medium tyre earlier than making pit stops within the second half of the race.
Nico Hulkenberg rounded out the highest 10 to attain Haas’s first level of the season. The German had additionally opted to not pit through the preliminary spherical of stops, and was aided by a staff technique that noticed Kevin Magnussen hold a pack of drivers at bay behind to be able to give Hulkenberg house when returning to the observe from his eventual pit cease.
Alex Albon simply missed out on factors in P11, regardless of making some stable strikes in that midfield combat together with an overtake on Yuki Tsunoda. Magnussen took P12 in what was an eventful night for the Dane, having been handed two separate 10-second time penalties.
Esteban Ocon was the only real Alpine to complete in P13, whereas Tsunoda was the lead RB in P14. The Williams of Logan Sargeant adopted in P15, with Daniel Ricciardo behind in what was a quiet afternoon for the Australian in P16, barring a spin on the ultimate lap of the occasion.
The Kick Sauber duo of Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu have been the final drivers to complete in seventeenth and 18th respectively.
Stroll was one of many two to retire following that early crash, whereas Pierre Gasly’s race was virtually over earlier than it began. The Frenchman retired quickly after the beginning, having reported a gearbox problem on the Formation Lap.
Race Highlights: 2024 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix
AS IT HAPPENED
After Verstappen clinched his first-ever pole on the Jeddah Corniche Circuit throughout Friday night time’s qualifying session – with Leclerc alongside him on the entrance row for a fifth consecutive race – the attentions of the paddock then turned to Saturday night’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
There was a second of drama earlier than the race had even begun when Tsunoda was launched into the trail of Norris within the pit lane, with the incident being famous by Race Management. Elsewhere, a key speaking level was how Bearman have to be feeling forward of his F1 debut, having solely acquired the call-up to interchange Sainz simply hours earlier than first moving into the Ferrari in FP3.
Because the vehicles assembled on the grid and the tyre blankets got here off, it was confirmed that many of the area could be beginning on the medium compound, barring Bearman and Bottas who have been each operating the softs.
When the lights went out and the motion commenced, Verstappen acquired away effectively to guide whereas Perez tussled with Leclerc for second, with Leclerc finally securing the place out of Flip 4. Additional again there was a racy begin from rookie Bearman, who was already making an attempt to overhaul Tsunoda after the RB driver was leapfrogged by Stroll firstly.
In the meantime Piastri acquired forward of Alonso on Lap 2, whereas Alpine’s difficult begin to the season continued when Gasly – who had reported a gearbox problem on the Formation Lap – grew to become the primary retiree from the race.
By Lap 4 Perez had put himself up into P2 by sweeping previous Leclerc with relative ease, aided by the DRS being open. Elsewhere, replays confirmed that Russell had questioned whether or not Norris had made a soar begin on the launch, regardless of the McLaren driver not making up any locations from P6.
Norris’ staff mate Piastri, in the meantime, was nonetheless forward of Alonso in fourth, however the ever-determined Spaniard was not letting the strain off.
Alonso’s fellow Aston Martin driver Stroll was not having such luck. The Canadian crashed into the limitations in Flip 23 after contact with the wall on Lap 7, prompting a yellow flag to be thrown earlier than a Security Automotive was referred to as. Fortuitously Stroll walked away unhurt.
A flurry of motion within the pit lane adopted as a number of vehicles made a pit cease to bolt on the laborious tyres, together with the Crimson Bulls, Leclerc, Piastri and Alonso. Norris and Hamilton have been amongst these to remain out, seemingly to keep away from a double-stack at their respective garages. Zhou and Hulkenberg additionally opted to stay on observe.
The busy scenario within the pit lane appeared to spark a number of tough moments, with replays displaying Alonso radioing a couple of shut name with Perez. Again on circuit, the Security Automotive interval got here to an finish on Lap 9, with chief Norris managing to maintain Verstappen behind on the restart whereas Hamilton held third.
2024 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix: Leclerc fights off Perez problem to maintain P2 on the race begin
Additional again there was motion aplenty – Bearman pulled off an overtake on Tsunoda for P11, whereas Magnussen had a little bit of an off-track second throughout a battle with Ocon and Albon, although the Dane managed to carry onto P13 to remain forward. This incident was quickly being investigated by the stewards for Magnussen allegedly inflicting a collision.
It was introduced on Lap 12 that Perez was additionally below investigation for an unsafe launch within the Alonso pit lane incident. In the meantime the Mexican was making strikes, passing Hamilton for third simply as Verstappen surged forward of Norris to retake the lead.
Bearman’s feisty debut continued as {the teenager} swept previous Zhou into Flip 1, placing himself into the highest 10. Fellow Ferrari driver Leclerc had overtaken Hamilton for fourth up forward.
The stewards’ verdicts got here in on Lap 16 – Perez was issued with a five-second time penalty for an unsafe launch, whereas a 10-second penalty had been handed to Magnussen for inflicting a collision with Albon.
Piastri tried to discover a well past Hamilton for fifth on Lap 17, with the McLaren seeking to go across the exterior earlier than going extensive off the observe. Perez had extra luck in his overtaking endeavours, choosing off Norris for second place whereas Verstappen continued to guide by 5 seconds.
“Mate, he’s so sluggish,” reported Bearman as Lap 20 ticked down, referring to the Haas of Hulkenberg that he was making an attempt to move for P9. Heading into Flip 1, the Ferrari driver quickly swept previous the German to safe the place.
As Hamilton – nonetheless operating the medium tyres – continued to defend effectively from Piastri within the combat for fifth, the stewards have been being stored busy as Magnussen was issued with one other 10-second time penalty, this time for leaving the observe and gaining a bonus in a scrap with Tsunoda for P12.
Norris was additionally nonetheless holding on impressively together with his authentic medium rubber, with the McLaren remaining in third by Lap 25 regardless of elevated strain from Leclerc in fourth. However because the race handed its midway level, the Briton might resist not as Leclerc simply breezed previous.
In the meantime there was a multi-car scrap unfolding from P12 to P16, with Magnussen on the entrance of the pack seemingly holding up Tsunoda, Ocon, Albon and Sargeant behind. The Haas making an attempt to again up the sector to be able to assist staff mate Hulkenberg to remain forward in P10 every time he ought to finally pit.
This didn’t cease these concerned from making an attempt to combat again. Tsunoda utilised a slipstream to glide previous Magnussen into Flip 1, however the Dane then retook the place. Having had a little bit of a second, Tsunoda additionally misplaced a spot to Ocon within the melee. The Japanese driver reported “harmful driving” over the staff radio.
Again on the entrance, Verstappen’s lead had grown to seven seconds from Perez by Lap 31, whereas Perez had constructed a nine-second benefit over Leclerc in third.
Elsewhere, Norris and Hamilton have been each holding station on the medium compound. Norris was posed a query by his race engineer over whether or not he might make his approach again via every time he would finally pit. The Briton stated he would strive, regardless of sounding barely not sure.
In that midfield scrap behind Magnussen, a pissed off Albon pulled off a powerful transfer on Tsunoda to say P14, whereas Hulkenberg lastly made his pit cease on Lap 34. The Haas emerged again onto the observe in P11, that means that Magnussen’s function within the staff technique had been profitable.
Piastri as soon as once more regarded to have discovered a well past Hamilton on Lap 35 however, in a case of deja vu, once more left the observe, forcing him to relinquish the place to the Mercedes.
However the McLaren was lastly given some clear air when Hamilton made his pit cease on Lap 37, with the seven-time world champion rejoining the observe in P9, seven seconds behind Bearman in P8. Norris additionally visited the pits for the laborious tyres one lap later, which subsequently slotted him in-between Bearman and Hamilton to arrange a battle of the Brits.
As cameras confirmed Sainz watching on from the Ferrari storage, his substitute discovered himself being slowly chased down by Norris because the laps ticked down, although the McLaren driver was firstly occupied with making an attempt to maintain Hamilton at bay.
Norris had additionally been famous by Race Management for weaving on the straight forward of Hamilton. In the meantime, Russell getting nearer to Alonso in a battle for fifth.
There was hassle for Zhou on Lap 43 when the Kick Sauber driver – the final man within the area to pit – suffered a sluggish pit cease, dropping him to the again of the pack behind staff mate Bottas.
Because the race entered into its ultimate levels, Bearman requested over staff radio about whether or not Norris might catch them by the top. Whereas he was advised that this was certainly the case, the rookie driver was additionally inspired to go for his “quickest race till the top”.
Norris continued to shut the hole into the previous few laps, being lower than three seconds behind on Lap 48 of fifty. Hamilton, in the meantime, had dropped out of the DRS vary of Norris.
Up forward, Perez had barely narrowed Verstappen’s lead, however the Dutchman remained 6.7s forward of his staff mate as one other victory on the playing cards following his win final day trip in Bahrain.
Elsewhere there was hassle for Ricciardo, who had been having a comparatively quiet race in the direction of the again of the sector. The RB driver spun on the ultimate lap, having been operating in P16.
A small mistake additionally hit Norris because the Briton continued to try to shut in on Bearman, however the hole didn’t look to be getting a lot smaller.
On the entrance, Verstappen crossed the road to take an assured victory, his second ever win on the streets of Jeddah. Perez adopted in second to safe one other one-two end for Crimson Bull, marking a stable begin to their title defence in 2024.
With a major hole again to Leclerc in third, Perez was nonetheless in a position to maintain his place regardless of his five-second time penalty. Whereas Leclerc needed to accept P3, the Monegasque did handle to say an additional level for the quickest lap.
Piastri was the lead McLaren to cross the road in fourth, whereas Alonso resisted late-race strain from Russell to take fifth, conserving the Mercedes behind in sixth.
Bearman introduced an finish to a memorable debut by ending in P7, scoring factors on his rookie look. The teenager’s father was seen wanting on proudly from the Ferrari storage.
Fellow Britons Norris and Hamilton adopted in eighth and ninth respectively, with Hulkenberg rounding out the highest 10.
Albon claimed P11 forward of Magnussen in P12, with Ocon, Tsunoda, Sargeant, Ricciardo, Bottas and Zhou finishing the ultimate categorized runners.
Stroll and Gasly have been the 2 retirees from the race, having each exited within the opening levels attributable to a crash and a technical drawback respectively.
Key quote
“I believe total after all a incredible weekend for the entire staff, but additionally from my aspect, I felt actually good with the automobile, and in addition mainly was the identical within the race,” Verstappen stated after his victory. “In fact the final stint was a bit longer than we’d have preferred, however with the Security Automotive we needed to go for it. So the previous few laps, additionally with these backmarkers, with the chilly tyres, it was just a little bit slippery however we had good tempo so we might handle it fairly effectively. Total, very, more than happy.”
What’s subsequent
The subsequent cease on the 2024 F1 calendar would be the Australian Grand Prix, with the paddock heading to the Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit from March 22-24. Head to the RACE HUB to search out out how one can observe the motion.