Verstappen wins Saudi Arabian Grand Prix By 0.5s

The decisive move 🍿#SaudiArabianGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/JWfqmLcZSi

— Formula 1 (@F1) March 27, 2022

Max Verstappen won an epic battle over Charles Leclerc in Saudi Arabia with Carlos Sainz completing the podium behind his Ferrari teammate. The race started with Sergio Perez leading, but a flash of Ferrari mechanics on Lap 16 triggered Red Bull to pit early. That proved unfortunate; Williams’ Nicholas Latifi crashed at the final corner on the next lap and triggered a VSC and then safety car, with Leclerc, Verstappen, and Sainz capitalizing. It was determined that Perez had passed Sainz as the Spaniard exited the pits during the caution period, leaving Perez fourth.

Another VSC emerged on Lap 38 when McLaren’s Daniel Ricciardo crawled to a halt at the pit exit, Alpine’s Fernando Alonso slowing with a problem a lap earlier – and then stopping around the same place as Ricciardo. When the VSC finished on Lap 41, Verstappen was within a second of leader Leclerc – and now came round two of their brilliant 2022 rivalry.

How good was Max vs. Charles?! #SaudiArabianGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/e0Tdl9Kpm5

— Formula 1 (@F1) March 27, 2022

With DRS, the Dutchman took the lead on the back straight on Lap 42, but Leclerc came back with DRS and held onto the lead. Again on Lap 43, Verstappen attempted a move but locked up in unison with the Ferrari into the final corner, the Ferrari keeping P1. A brief lull followed and at the start of Lap 47 before Verstappen made sure he had DRS and prised the leadoff Leclerc, the championship leader unable to close him off this time. Leclerc put in the fastest lap with a second wind in the closing staged – but Verstappen narrowly kept him at bay, shrugging off the scare of a late Sector 1 yellow flag (for a Lance Stroll-Alex Albon coming together) to win by just 0.549s.

Career win #21 for Max 🙌#SaudiArabianGP #F1

— Formula 1 (@F1) March 27, 2022

George Russell took P5 at Esteban Ocon’s expense, the Alpine driver having lost out to the Mercedes on Lap 3 and then battled with his teammate Alonso (DNF) in an exciting early-race battle. Ocon, out-dragged here for P3 in 2021, kept McLaren’s Lando Norris at bay by a tenth of a second on the line in a drag race for P6. Pierre Gasly made up one place to P8 for AlphaTauri, with the Haas of Kevin Magnussen ninth from 10th on the grid, and Lewis Hamilton – who was unfortunate not to be able to pit during the second VSC – taking the final point from his P15 start for Mercedes. Alfa Romeo’s Zhou Guanyu missed out on a second consecutive point finish, receiving two penalties, the first for cutting a corner in an early scrap with Albon and the second for failing to serve that penalty correctly when he pitted. Stroll, Albon, Valtteri Bottas, Alonso and Ricciardo did not to make the flag. Neither did Mick Schumacher, who crashed out of qualifying, nor Yuki Tsunoda, whose AlphaTauri stopped with a technical issue on his lap to the grid, start the race.

Below are the final result standings

* Provisional results. Note – Leclerc scored an additional point for setting the fastest lap of the race.