Max Verstappen of Red Bull Racing RB20 took the lead at the start of the race during the Formula 1 World Championship, Round 2, Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The race took place on 9th March 2024.
Max Verstappen had a flawless weekend at the Saudi Arabian GP. He secured pole position on Friday, with a comfortable lead over Charles Leclerc. The race itself went smoothly for Verstappen, as he quickly regained the top spot after a brief setback due to a Safety Car. He then maintained his pace and cruised to another effortless victory.
Sergio Perez, Verstappen’s teammate, couldn’t secure a front-row start in qualifying but managed to overtake Leclerc during the race. Perez showed strong race pace and finished just eight seconds behind Verstappen, despite a five-second penalty for an unsafe release.
Leclerc, driving for Ferrari, put up a good fight during qualifying and managed to split the Red Bull pair. However, he couldn’t hold off Perez during the race and had to settle for a third-place finish. Leclerc still showcased his skills by setting the fastest lap.
Oliver Bearman had an eventful weekend, making his debut in Formula 2 and being called up as a reserve driver for Ferrari. Despite limited track time, Bearman impressed in qualifying and had a strong race, battling with experienced drivers and holding his own.
McLaren’s Oscar Piastri had a solid qualifying session, outperforming his teammate Lando Norris. Piastri made some impressive overtakes during the race and finished fifth. Norris, on the other hand, had a challenging race, starting from the lead but struggling to maintain his position.
Fernando Alonso, driving for Alpine, showed promise during practice and qualified fourth. However, he couldn’t keep up with the pace of the front-runners and finished in fifth place. His teammate, Pierre Gasly, had a nightmare weekend, retiring early due to a gearbox issue.
Nico Hulkenberg, racing for Haas, had a challenging qualifying session but managed to score a point thanks to his teammate Kevin Magnussen’s efforts. Magnussen played a crucial role in defending against other drivers, allowing Hulkenberg to secure a point for the team.
Alex Albon, driving for Williams, faced difficulties at the start of the race and struggled to overtake other drivers due to wing damage. Despite making some overtakes, he couldn’t score points.
Logan Sargeant had a tough weekend, struggling with tyre management and unable to overtake other drivers. Alpine also had a disappointing weekend overall.
Guanyu Zhou, racing for Sauber, had a setback in qualifying due to an accident in practice. He showed decent pace during the race but couldn’t make up for the lost time.
Valtteri Bottas, driving for Sauber, had an early tyre change under the Safety Car but suffered from tyre wear and had to make another pit stop. Bottas and Sauber couldn’t make an impact during the race.
Overall, it was a dominant performance by Max Verstappen, securing his second win of the season. The race had its share of standout performances and challenges for the drivers, but Verstappen emerged as the clear winner.