Perez holds off Verstappen’s charge to win Saudi Arabian GP

JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia – Sergio Perez won the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix and Max Verstappen drove from 15th to second to give Red Bull a 1-2 finish Sunday in what is shaping up to be a runaway season for the reigning Formula One champions.

And there have only been two races so far.

“Nice job guys an excellent result for the team,” said Perez, who finished about 5 seconds ahead of Verstappen.

Through the first two races of the season it has been two Red Bull wins, two 1-2 finishes, and an air of desperation from everyone else on the grid.

Verstappen is chasing a third straight title and isn’t worried if it goes down to a straight fight between him and Perez.

“The best one will finish in front,” the Dutchman said.

Perez feels he’s yet to peak.

“I’m not sure it’s my best weekend with the team, Melbourne will be even better,” he said, looking ahead to the next race in Australia on April 2.

Fernando Alonso finished third for the second consecutive race for his 100th career podium. He celebrated with the Red Bull drivers, but he was later handed a 10-second penalty for what the FIA said was incorrectly serving an earlier penalty and that dropped him to fourth.

The podium finish was then handed to George Russell of Mercedes, who called the penalty on Alonso “harsh.” But Aston Martin appealed and hours after the race conclusion the penalty was reversed and Alonso’s 100th career podium was reinstated.

“Having reviewed the new evidence, we concluded that there was no clear agreement, as was suggested to the Stewards previously, that could be relied upon,” the FIA said. “In the circumstances, we considered that our original decision to impose a penalty on Car 14 needed to be reversed and we did so accordingly.”

But even as the Spaniard enjoys a renaissance with his new Aston Martin team, Alonso has acknowledged he had little chance at beating Red Bull.

Verstappen won a record 15 races last season and a second consecutive F1 title, and Perez added another two victories as the 17 total wins in 23 races easily gave Red Bull the constructors title. There have been no signs of an offseason drop in performance and Russell, who did the post-race news conference as the thirdplace finisher but was then dropped to fourth after Alonso’s penalty was reversed, predicted after the season-opener that Red Bull would win every race this season.