Max Verstappen pips Charles Leclerc to win the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix
Defending champion Max Verstappen overtakes Charles Leclerc in the closing stages in Saudi Arabia to win his first race of the season – with Lewis Hamilton finishing down in 10th place
Max Verstappen beat Charles Leclerc to win the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix after a battle until the last lapSergio Perez led the race in the early stages until Nicholas Latifi’s crash brought out the safety car Charles Leclerc then led the race but was involved in a late battle with the reigning world champion In a battle similar to the one at Bahrain, Verstappen got the better of the Ferrari driver to win the raceLewis Hamilton had battled to sixth at one stage but was tenth at the finish after taking his late pit-stop
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Max Verstappen won a dramatic Saudi Arabian Grand Prix – as Lewis Hamilton’s woes continued with a 10th-place finish.
The Dutchman prevented Ferrari-man Leclerc’s second win in a week, following his victory in Bahrain, by making the decisive move with just four laps remaining to beat him by just half-a-second.
Verstappen was given a helping hand towards the win in Jeddah when Williams’ Nicholas Latifi crashed into the wall 17 laps into the race, propelling his front wing on to the road. A virtual safety car (VSC) was deployed, and then an actual safety car. By this point, pole man and rightful leader Sergio Perez had pitted and was lying fourth.
Max Verstappen bounced back from retirement in Bahrain to win the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix from fourth on the grid
Verstappen passed Charles Leclerc in the final laps after a fierce battle which saw both men play chicken with the DRS line
Leclerc congratulated Verstappen over the team radio after their second epic battle for the lead in as many weeks
The three men ‘in front’ of him, but yet to stop, then peeled in for a free stop. From this point, Leclerc led with Verstappen second. Carlos Sainz in the second Ferrari was third, where the Spaniard finished.
As for Hamilton, he stayed out, having worked his way up from 15th on the grid to 10th. By not pitting he was up to seventh and then he passed Kevin Magnussen of Haas for sixth.
He had to hope for a second VSC, which came on lap 37, when Fernando Alonso of Alpine and Daniel Ricciardo of McLaren stopped. But he could not take advantage with a free stop because the two stricken cars were in the pit lane, which was consequently closed.
Sergio Perez was disappointed to finish in fourth after he pitted just before a safety car which his rivals took advantage of
Nicholas Latifi in the Williams crashed for the second time this weekend which led to Perez dropping behind Leclerc, Verstappen and Carlos Sainz
Lewis Hamilton could only manage a tenth-placed finish after making his one and only stop of the race late in the race
With nine laps remaining, the VSC exited the stage, Hamilton went in, but emerged in 12th, before he worked his way up two places by the finish.
Verstappen first passed Leclerc on lap 42 of 50, but the Monegasque returned to the lead within moments. It was a good tussle.
Then, conclusively, Verstappen took the lead down the pit straight at the start of lap 47 and zoomed just out of reach, turning the timing screens purple, which spells fast. He finally held off Leclerc’s late surge.
George Russell finished fifth, a place behind Perez, but more than half a minute off the pace. Ferrari and Red Bull are in a league of two.
Hamilton missed the chance to pit behind the VSC after Valtteri Bottas (pictured), Fernando Alonso and Daniel Ricciardo all suffered mechanical issues in quick succession and retired from the race
Verstappen took his first points of the season and is now 20 behind championship leader Leclerc who also took fastest lap
George Russell was fifth in his Mercedes but a long way off the leading Red Bull and Ferrari drivers
Sportsmail’s Kieran Lynch provided updates in a live blog for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
