Saudi Grand Prix: Sergio Perez beats Max Verstappen to win Red Bull 2-1 in Jeddah

Sergio Perez leads his teammate Max Verstappen to a Red Bull 1-2 in Jeddah. Verstappen recovered from 15th on the grid to push his teammate to the finish; Fernando Alonso takes his second consecutive podium finish for Aston Martin, ahead of George Russell and Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes.

Sergio Perez spectacularly fended off an attack by team-mate Max Verstappen from 15th on the grid to take Red Bull one-two at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

A technical failure in qualifying left Verstappen with only faint hopes of victory, but he looked like he had a strong chance when the safety car helped him move up to second and within six seconds of his teammate before the race reached the halfway point.

However, Perez, who had only managed three wins in his previous two seasons as a teammate of the Dutchman, put in a very well-crafted display to maintain their advantage as Red Bull scored a brace ahead of Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso for the second time. In many races this season.

Alonso led the first corner, beating first-placed goalkeeper Perez off the line, but was soon overtaken by a Red Bull car he didn’t have the pace to compete with, while the Spaniard was then also forced to serve a five-second penalty during his pit stop for improperly positioning. On the web.

George Russell finished fourth, ahead of Lewis Hamilton, after ignoring instructions to let his teammate pass him after the seven-time world champion’s safety car left on a more suitable tyre, and with a theoretically better chance of chasing. Alonso.

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Red Bull driver Max Verstappen gets a P2 after passing Aston Martin driver Fernando Alonso at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

However, Russell seemed to justify his decision to open a hole for Hamilton, as the Mercedes came home comfortably in front of Ferrari duo Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc, who was furious with his team-mate after feeling he had not been given the right instructions. under the safety car.

Esteban Ocon finished eighth ahead of teammate Pierre Gasly completing a strong afternoon for Alpine, while Kevin Magnussen scored a late pass to grab the final point from AlphaTauri’s Yuki Tsunoda.

More to track…

Saudi GP race result
1) Sergio Perez, Red Bull
2) Max Verstappen, Red Bull
3) Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin
4) George Russell, Mercedes
5) Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes
6) Carlos Sainz, Ferrari
7) Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
8) Esteban Ocon, Alpine
9) Pierre Gasly, Alpine
10) Kevin Magnussen, Haas