Verstappen wins, Bearman shines
Max Verstappen won the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix from pole position as Red Bull continued their dominant start to the Formula One season with a second one-two in as many races.
Sergio Perez was runner-up under the Jeddah Corniche floodlights yesterday, last year's winner taking the chequered flag 13.643 seconds behind his triple world champion team-mate, who now has a 15-point lead in the standings.
Charles Leclerc finished third for Ferrari, setting the fastest lap on the way to his first podium of the season.
However, it was rookie stand-in teammate Oliver Bearman who stole the show, the teenager finishing seventh and voted driver of the day.
Australian Oscar Piastri also enjoyed a fine day, finishing fourth, one of his best results in the McLaren.
It was the first time Verstappen, winner of a record 19 of 22 races last year, has won the first two races of a season. He has also won 19 of the past 20 races.
“Overall, a fantastic weekend for the whole team and myself. I felt really good with the car, and it was the same in the race,” Verstappen said.
The victory was a ninth in a row for Verstappen, dating back to Japan last September, and 56th of the 26-year-old Dutch driver's career.
It was also his 100th career podium, while Red Bull's 115th win lifted them ahead of Williams in fourth place on the all-time lists.
Britain's Bearman, making his F1 race debut at 18 years and 305 days old, started in 11th place as Ferrari's youngest rookie and was a hugely impressive replacement for Spaniard Carlos Sainz, sidelined by appendicitis.
The youngest ever British Formula One driver was also the 66th driver since the start of the championship in 1950 to score on his debut.
“He's been incredible,’’ Leclerc said of Bearman.
‘‘It's hugely impressive. Everybody has noticed how talented he is and I'm sure it's just a matter of time before he's in F1.’’
Fernando Alonso was fifth for Aston Martin and George Russell sixth for Mercedes
and the first of four British drivers following each other across the line.
McLaren's Lando Norris was eighth and seven-times world champion Lewis Hamilton ninth for Mercedes, with Nico Hulkenberg taking the final point for last year's bottom team Haas.
The safety car was deployed on lap seven after Aston Martin's Lance Stroll hit the wall and crashed into the barriers at turn 22.
The Canadian walked away unhurt as all but four drivers, including Norris and Hamilton, dived into the pits.
Norris, later cleared of a suspected jumped start off the grid, led when the new Aston Martin Vantage safety car returned to the pits on lap nine, but Verstappen was back in front by lap 13 and pulling away.
Red Bull now have 87 points, with Ferrari on 49 and McLaren on 28.
The next race is the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne on March 24.
Daniel Ricciardo didn't have the greatest day in the RB, the Aussie coming home 16th of the 18 finishers, two places behind his team-mate Yuki Tsunoda.
- AAP