Max Verstappen eases to victory in Saturday’s Saudi Grand Prix.
Max Verstappen has eased to victory in Saturday’s Saudi Arabia Grand Prix in a race where 18-year-old Oliver Bearman came home in seventh position.
Unlike in Bahrain last week, it was not necessarily plain-sailing for the defending champion, who found himself behind Lando Norris after an early safety car.
However, it only felt like a matter of time before he overtook the McLaren, and once he did, the Dutchman was able to cruise to yet another one-sided win.
Verstappen was able to finish 13.643 seconds ahead of Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez to continue the team’s dominance during the early phase of the season.
Charles Leclerc was a comfortable third in the Ferrari, but his young teammate Bearman stole the show as a replacement for Carlos Sainz Jr.
The teenage British driver produced a faultless performance to advance from 11th on the grid to a finishing position of seventh, holding off the late charge of Norris and Lewis Hamilton.
Oscar Piastri, Fernando Alonso and George Russell were fourth, fifth and sixth respectively, each of them likely being content with their individual displays, while Nico Hulkenberg claimed the final point.
In the Drivers’ Standings, Verstappen holds a 15-point lead over Perez, with third-placed Leclerc 10 points clear of Russell who is fourth.
