Max Verstappen and Red Bull Racing clinched another emphatic one-two finish at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, with Verstappen securing his 100th podium. The race was marked by a safety car period, triggered by Lance Stroll’s crash, which reshuffled the pack but couldn’t deter Red Bull’s dominance.
Between the lines
- Max Verstappen dominated the Saudi Arabian GP, leading to his 100th career podium and Red Bull’s 115th victory.
- A safety car, caused by Lance Stroll’s crash, led to strategic pit stops but didn’t impact Red Bull’s lead.
- Sergio Perez overcame a five-second penalty and a safety car setback to finish second, maintaining Red Bull’s strong start to the season.
- Charles Leclerc and Ferrari managed to secure a podium finish but couldn’t challenge Red Bull’s superior pace.
- Oscar Piastri showed promise in his duel with Leclerc, while Oliver Bearman impressed on his debut, finishing seventh.
- Haas scored their first point of the season thanks to Nico Hulkenberg’s strategic drive, despite teammate Kevin Magnussen’s penalties.
Go deeper
During the Saudi Arabian GP, Verstappen lost the lead only briefly during the pit stop shuffle, as the safety car period prompted most drivers to switch to hard tires. Lando Norris temporarily led the race, but Verstappen, with his tires up to temperature, swiftly reclaimed the lead and cruised to victory.
Red Bull’s Sergio Perez found himself in fourth after the safety car but fought back to second place, demonstrating the team’s pace and strategy. Despite a five-second penalty for an unsafe release, Perez’s speed ensured he finished comfortably in second.
- Verstappen had the lowest median lap time, which is the fastest. The spread of VER’s lap times is relatively small, suggesting consistency in their pace.
- Stroll had the highest median lap time (slowest). The spread of their lap times is quite narrow, indicating consistent, but slower pace.
- Leclerc and Norris have a similar median pace, which is on the faster side, but LEC has a slightly wider spread in lap times than NOR, suggesting NOR had a more consistent performance.
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc started strong but couldn’t match Red Bull’s speed, ending up in third place. His teammate, debutant Oliver Bearman, stepped in for Carlos Sainz and performed admirably, securing a seventh-place finish against more experienced competitors.
The race also featured impressive defensive driving from Haas’s Kevin Magnussen, who helped teammate Nico Hulkenberg score the team’s first point of the season. Despite Magnussen’s penalties, Hulkenberg managed to finish in the points after a well-timed pit stop.
Rounding out the notable performances, Oscar Piastri showed potential in his battle with Leclerc, and McLaren’s Daniel Ricciardo suffered from a prolonged pit stop that left him at the back of the pack. Pierre Gasly was the only other retirement from the race, with a suspected gearbox issue.
