The Mexican driver picked up his first victory of the season on the Jeddah circuit on Sunday.
Red Bull continues its perfect start to the season. Two weeks after Max Verstappen’s victory at the start of the season, it was his teammate Sergio Pérez who won the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in Jeddah on Sunday March 19. Despite a fright at the start, the Mexican led the race almost from start to finish.
Max Verstappen’s crazy comeback, starting from 15th place on the starting grid, was not enough for him to steal the victory from his teammate, and the Dutchman finished 2nd. But the bonus point for the fastest lap in the race, acquired in the last lap, allowed him to retain the lead in the championship. Third on the track, Fernando Alonso first celebrated the 100th podium of his career in F1… before being downgraded for not having observed a penalty well, in favor of George Russell (Mercedes). But after further procrastination of which the FIA has the secret, the bull from Asturias was finally reinstated on the box, late in the evening.
A just reward, as he posed a threat to Sergio Pérez, who thought he would lose everything at the start of the Grand Prix, starting badly from pole position and immediately overtaken by Alonso. But at the wheel of the most powerful single-seater on the field, the Mexican easily took the lead of the race on the 4th lap. Dominating and confident, he took off and was never worried again to get the 5th victory of his career. “I was close to winning last year and this year I’m doing it. […] I am very happy”he said at the finish of the race.
His teammate, Max Verstappen, winner of the first round, made a great comeback between the walls of the Jeddah urban circuit to accompany him on the podium. Starting from 15th place, the reigning world champion moved up the peloton, and benefited from the exit from the safety car to find the podium. But, hampered by technical problems at the end of the race, he could not push to play for victory until the end.
Alonso penalized after the finish then reinstated
Also starting in the peloton after being penalized for a component change on his single-seater, Charles Leclerc did not experience the same success. He finished behind his teammate Carlos Sainz, in 7th position, behind the two Mercedes, far from the pace of Red Bull and Aston Martin.
Two weeks after Bahrain, Fernando Alonso believed he had secured another podium for Aston Martin. But if he got on the box well, he was then penalized for a poorly executed penalty, following his departure deemed illegal. A situation that benefits George Russell (Mercedes), fourth at the finish after a solid race where he resisted the pressure of his teammate, Lewis Hamilton, in his exhausts. All this before, several hours later, third place was reassigned to the Iberian, and the classification was indeed that concluded on the track: Alonso 3rd, Russell 4th.
At Alpine, the disappointment of Bahrain was well digested. Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly both finished in the points, 8th and 9th, after a solid race, but without having been able to match the top teams.