(Jeddah) The Formula 1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix was put on hold for the second time just after resuming, following a second crash on Sunday night in Jeddah.
The race, contested at night, by spotlight, will start again at 9:40 p.m. local time.
The race was stopped by a red flag for the first time after 13 laps, the time to repair the safety barriers damaged by an excursion of the track by the German Mick Schumacher (Haas) at 10e tower.
It was stopped again after a collision during the second start which caused the stops of the Mexican Sergio Pérez (Red Bull), the Russian Nikita Mazepin (Haas) and the Briton George Russell (Williams).
At the time of the second red flag, the Dutchman Max Verstappen (Red Bull), leader of the World Championship, was in the lead ahead of the French Esteban Ocon (Alpine) and his runner-up in the standings, the Briton Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes).
Verstappen was only third before Schumacher’s crash, which initially caused the safety car to exit.
Unlike Hamilton, who started off in the lead, he didn’t stop to change tires at that point, which put him ahead of the race when she was stopped by a little more red flag. late.
Ocon took the advantage over Hamilton in the second start by taking advantage of his fight with Verstappen, who may have to fall back on the grid for this third start due to a contentious maneuver.
Following a telephone call between Red Bull and the race management, broadcast by Canal Plus, the grid for the next start was established with Ocon in the lead position, ahead of Hamilton and Verstappen who was therefore not penalized for his maneuver at the first turn, during the previous start.