Max Verstappen wasn’t able to chase down his team mate Sergio Perez for victory in the second half of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
However Verstappen made sure he came away with the bonus point for fastest lap. That was vital for had Perez taken it he, and not Verstappen, would have emerged from the second race of the season in the lead of the world championship.
Following the race Perez indicated he thought the team wanted the two drivers to stick to a target lap time over the final laps. “They told me to keep a certain pace and they told me I had the fastest lap and to keep a certain pace,” he said. “So I thought that communication was the same to Max.”
Red Bull had given their drivers similar instructions. After Verstappen reported concerns about his driveshaft the pair were told to target a lap time of 1’33.0. It took a few laps for Verstappen to comply with this, leading to some confusion at Perez’s end. “It’s something we need to review,” he said after the race.
Verstappen and Perez’s radio messages
Having started 15th, Verstappen was up to second place by lap 25, and began his pursuit of race leader Perez.
| Lap: 25/50 VER: 1’32.933, PER: 1’33.426 | |||
| Lambiase | Checo lap time 33.4. | ||
| Lambiase | Alonso has DRS. | ||
| Lap: 26/50 VER: 1’32.940, PER: 1’33.072 | |||
| Lambiase | Gap 0.9. | Bird | So Max’s first lap in free air 32.9, main deficit turn 16. |
| Lambiase | Strat 11, strat one-one. | Bird | Gap 5.1. |
| Lambiase | You’re clear behind on DRS now. | Bird | Update on the balance |
| Bird | A bit of understeer in the high-speed. Front-right. | ||
Verstappen asks the team to keep him updated on how quick Perez ahead is going.
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| Lap: 27/50 VER: 1’32.838, PER: 1’32.891 | |||
| Verstappen | Tell me lap times ahead. | Bird | Max ‘s lap a 32.9. Gap 5.3. |
| Lambiase | It was a 33.0. Exit 13 and 27. | ||
| Lambiase | Gap behind now 3.6. | ||
| Lap: 28/50 VER: 1’32.869, PER: 1’33.025 | |||
| Bird | Max’s lap 32.8. Gap 5.2. | ||
| Lap: 29/50 VER: 1’32.670, PER: 1’32.726 | |||
| Bird | Max’s lap 32.8. Gap 5.1. | ||
Verstappen takes a few tenths of a second out of Perez. His race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase offers suggestions to improve his pace. Meanwhile Perez is being updated on his team mate’s pace and where he is losing time to him.
| Lap: 30/50 VER: 1’32.877, PER: 1’32.726 | |||
| Lambiase | Max engine seven, position 11 when you can. | Bird | Max’s lap 32.6, gap five seconds. |
| Lap: 31/50 VER: 1’32.382, PER: 1’32.554 | |||
| Lambiase | And now strat nine. Strat nine. Any drive-ability… | ||
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