Max Verstappenmade it back-to-back victories to start the 2024 season by overtaking Lando Norris early to win the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
Verstappen pitted from the lead under an early Safety Car and passed Norris after the restart to resume the lead.
The world champion was never in danger of losing first place for the remaining 37 laps, controlling his pace to win by 13 seconds from Sergio Perez. The second Red Bull was given a five-second post-race time penalty for an unsafe pit release which sent Perez out close to Fernando Alonso.
Charles Leclerc finished on the podium in third for Ferrari, just under five seconds behind the Red Bulls. His team mate, newcomer Oliver Bearman, gained four places from his starting position to finish in seventh place and score points in his first grand prix.
Oscar Piastri finished fourth for McLaren, 13 seconds adrift of Leclerc, with Fernando Alonso in fifth and George Russell sixth for Mercedes. Bearman was seventh, with Norris in eighth after holding off Lewis Hamilton in ninth.
Haas took the final point with Hulkenberg in tenth after Kevin Magnussen deliberately backed up a pack of cars to allow his team mate to pit ahead of him. Magnussen picked up a pair of 10 second time penalties during the race but they made no difference to his eventual finishing position, 12h.
Pierre Gasly was the first retirement in the race at the end of the opening lap after reporting a gearbox problem on the formation lap. Lance Stroll crashed out of the race on the sixth lap after clipping the wall at the apex of turn 22, triggering the early Safety Car. Stroll climbed out of the car unaided.
Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter and
2024 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at RaceFans…