F1 LIVE: Max Verstappen wins in Saudi Arabia after ‘smart tricks’ as Lewis Hamilton admits ‘s***’ result

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Max Verstappen plays FIFA against FIFA Champ Musaed Al Dossary

Max Verstappen edged out Charles Leclerc in a classic F1 battle at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix with the Red Bull star winning by less than a second in Jeddah. Sergio Perez had started on pole for the first time in his F1 career after the Mexican put together an impeccable lap around the tight streets of Jeddah in Q3 of qualifying to put himself on the front of the grid.

However, on race day, an ill-timed safety car saw Perez drop from fourth pole into fourth and he was then unable to overtake the Ferrari of Carlos Sainz to get the final podium place. Mercedes’ George Russell was sixth after qualifying and rose to fifth during the race, ahead of Esteban Ocon of Alpine. Lewis Hamilton started the race 15th after a disastrous qualifying saw him struggle and exit at Q1 but the seven-time world champion climbed to 10th by the chequered flag.

A Saudi GP marshal had been removed after saying on Twitter he hoped seven-times world champion Lewis Hamilton suffered an accident similar to Romain Grosjean’s fiery crash in Bahrain in 2020. A spokesman meanwhile for Formula One’s governing body said the unnamed marshal, writing in Arabic , would play no further part in the race weekend in Jeddah.

Follow all the reaction to the events in Saudi Arabia plus a look ahead to Melbourne after a thrilling start to the 2022 Formula 1 season:

F1 news and reaction to Saudi Arabian Grand PrixShow latest update 1648476573What is DRS in Formula 1, what does it mean and how does it work?

If you’ve become a fan of Formula 1 in recent years, you will probably be familiar with the term ‘DRS’ – the system which effectively allows for more overtaking.

Following its introduction in 2011, DRS has become a vital part of the sport. It stands for Drag Reduction System and is an adjustable part of the rear wing which, when opened, improves speed by 10-12 kmph.

That doesn’t sound like a lot when cars already travel at around 300kmph, but it can make all the difference along a long straight.

Drivers are only allowed to use DRS under certain conditions: the system is only enabled after the opening two laps of the race and drivers must be within one second of the car in front in order to activate it. Drivers can also only use DRS in certain ‘zones’, which are usually found on the straights.

Michael Jones28 March 2022 15:09

1648476273Verstappen revels in Jeddah victory

Max Verstappen has been discussing his victory in Saudi Arabia saying he relished the battle with Charles Leclerc in the final stages.

“It was really tough but a good race,” he told Sky Sports F1. “We were battling hard and tried to play the long game. The tires were wearing out quite quick. At the end we had a bit more pace. It wasn’t easy playing smart tricks in the final corner. Really happy that we finally kickstarted the season.

“It seems like once you get quite close you can have a good exit, and that makes it a lot more tricky to make a pass in the last corner. You really have to plan your pass.

On his part, Leclerc looked disappointed after being unable to score a second successive victory, but was full of praise for the winner saying:

“It wasn’t enough today but oh my God I really enjoyed that race! It’s hard but fair. Every race should be like this. Of course I’m disappointed but every race should be like this.

“It was extremely difficult for me to cover Max on the straights but he did a great job. [Respect] has always been there, especially when you finish a race like this. We’ve been pushing like I’ve rarely pushed before, to the absolute limit.”

Michael Jones28 March 2022 15:04

1648475853Binotto relishing battle between Leclerc and Verstappen

Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto is enjoying a sensational start to the 2022 F1 season, with his drivers first and second in the drivers’ standing and his team far ahead in the constructors’ too.

The Italian has overseen a resurgence in the team’s fortunes compared with 2020 and 2021 and is now relishing the battle with Red Bull and Max Verstappen.

“First our congratulations goes to Red Bull and Max,” he told Sky Sports F1. “He drove very well. It has been a great spectacle to see those two guys battling at the front. We can be very pleased. Charles has a lot of talent and he proved today again he can fight with Max at that level. It is very good for F1 and a fantastic start to the season.

(Getty Images)

Michael Jones28 March 2022 14:57

1648475433Hamilton ‘not fighting’ for title just yet

Following his 10th place finish in the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix Lewis Hamilton said that his Mercedes team were a long way off fighting for the championship title and need to do more work on their W13 car.

“Right now we’re not fighting for the top step,” he said. “We’re so far off the guys up ahead. We’ve got a lot of work to do. We need more grip and we need more power.”

Hamilton did say that one positive to come out of the race was the fact that his car did not suffer any ‘porpoising’ – bouncing up and down at high speed – which has been a feature of Mercedes’ start to the season but that was little consolation when the car’s performance is so far behind that of Red Bull and Ferrari.

“We’re still really down on the speed trace,” he said. “I don’t know what it is. It’s not just one fix. There are several things. I don’t know how much drag we have relative to the others but it feels like a lot. It [the title race] feels like a long way away.”

Michael Jones28 March 2022 14:50

1648474893Saudi Arabian Grand Prix results(4) Max Verstappen, Netherlands, Red Bull Racing, 50 laps, 1:24:19.293, 25 points.(2) Charles Leclerc, Monaco, Ferrari, 50, +0.549 seconds, 19.3.(3) Carlos Sainz Jr, Spain, Ferrari, 50, +8.097, 15.(1) Sergio Perez, Mexico, Red Bull Racing, 50, +10.800, 12. (6) George Russell, Great Britain, Mercedes, 50, +32,732, 10.(5) Esteban Ocon, France, Alpine, 50, +56.017, 8.(11) Lando Norris, Great Britain, McLaren, 50, +56.124, 6.(9) Pierre Gasly, France, Alphatauri, 50, + 1:02.946, 4.(10) Kevin Magnussen, Denmark, Haas F1 Team, 50, +1:04.308, 2.(15) Lewis Hamilton, Great Britain, Mercedes, 50, +1:13.948, 1.(12) Guanyu Zhou, China, Alfa Romeo Racing, 50, +1:22.215.(17) Nico Hulkenberg, Germany, Aston Martin, 50, +1:31.742.(13) Lance Stroll, Canada, Aston Martin, 49, +1 lap (16) Alexander Albon, Thailand, Williams, did not finish, 47. (8) Valtteri Bottas, Finland, Alfa Romeo Racing, did not finish, 36. (7) Fernando Alonso, Spain, Alpine, did not finish, 35. .( 14) Daniel Ricciardo, Australia, McLaren, did not finish, 35. (18) Nicholas Latifi, Canada, Williams, did not finish, 14.

(Start position in parentheses)

Michael Jones28 March 2022 14:41

1648474353George Russell frustrated by Mercedes ‘baby steps’ in pursuit of F1 rivals

George Russell has admitted that Mercedes must improve in “leaps and bounds” rather than by making “baby steps” if they are to challenge in 2022.

The German team’s slow start to the new Formula 1 season continued in Saudi Arabia, with Russell finishing a credible fifth, though some way short of challenging the lead quartet.

Michael Jones28 March 2022 14:32

1648473933F1’s racing revolution breathes new life into Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc’s rivalry

It is not often that a professional athlete revels in the fun of being narrowly beaten in the final stages of a rip-roaring sporting contest by a long-time adversary, but that is exactly what Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc did after finishing less than a second behind Max Verstappen in Formula One’s stellar Saudi Arabian Grand Prix on Sunday evening.

“It wasn’t enough today but oh my God I really enjoyed that race… Every race should be like this!”, beamed the Monegasque in his post-race interview, the sweat tumbling down his cheeks in the thick Gulf heat after just under two hours spent touring one of the most physically punishing and downright dangerous tracks in world motor sport at speeds which quite literally verge on breakneck.

That he had finished only second having spent the vast majority of the race in first place was not Leclerc’s primary concern once the checkered flag had waved; Instead, the sheer thrill of tussling so closely out front with Verstappen was enough to render the Ferrari driver positively giddy about the season to come.

Michael Jones28 March 2022 14:25

1648473453Toto Wolff takes positive from Lewis Hamilton performance

“The encouraging side is that his pace on the hard was positive,” said Wolff, in reference to the Briton’s opening showing on that tire. “We couldn’t tell if it was fast but it was positive.

“Alonso slowed down during the lap, Ricciardo broke down in the entry and we told him to come in but there was a double yellow with one car slowing down and one stationary so it was a confusing situation.

“He passed by and slowed down because of the confusion which made us come out behind [Kevin] Magnussen, then it’s game over.”

Michael Jones28 March 2022 14:17

1648473153Progress for Sainz after second consecutive podium

Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz says he is making good progress with his car after finishing third in the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. Sainz came second to team mate Charles Leclerc in the opening race in Bahrain but wasn’t happy with how he handled the car around that circuit and was more upbeat about his performance yesterday.

“I was happier than in Bahrain, definitely,” he said. “There’s been a bit of progress done from my side of the garage, with the feeling with the car.

“I felt like today we did a small step in the right direction and… well, while I’m still not 100 percent with the car, to keep bringing the points and the podiums is important until I will get back to 100 percent – ​​and Then it will be time to join these guys at the top for the fights.”

Sainz qualified third on the grid behind Sergio Perez and Charles Leclerc but lost his spot to Max Verstappen going through turn one despite a great start off the line.

“Yes, it’s a very narrow start here,” explained Sainz. “So I had a very good launch out of the start. And then I was squeezed a bit in between Checo [Perez] and Charles, and I had to lift and this gave Max the opportunity to go on the inside, and pass me outside of [Turn] 2 with a better run.

“I was just basically a bit unlucky because I think I was just boxed in, due to my good start and I had to lift. The good thing is that it was a good start and they’re going to be important for this year, those good starts – and we need to keep them up,

“The Red Bulls were super quick in the last 10 laps after the tires cooled down on the Safety Car, on the Virtual [Safety Car]. They were flying and they were putting pressure on us.

“For me, this race was a bit of progress from Bahrain. I think I managed to find a bit more rhythm with the car. Still some tenths to find but I think I will end up getting there.”

Michael Jones28 March 2022 14:12

1648472708Toto Wolff admits to enduring ‘exercise in humility’ after tough F1 season start for Mercedes

Toto Wolff admits he is enduring an “exercise in humility” after Mercedes’ tough start to the 2022 F1 season.

“We have had the luxury of being right in the middle of those fun games for the last eight years,” said the Mercedes team principal.

“Actually luxury is the wrong word. We were right in the middle of those fun games in the front, and talking as a Formula 1 stakeholder. We’re benefiting from a great show that is really spectacular to look at.

“On the other side, it is extremely painful to not be part of those fun games by quite a chunk of lap time deficit.

“We’re not going to rest until we are back in the mix. It is no fun at all and an exercise in humility. It’s going to make us stronger even though it’s not fun right now.”

(Getty Images)

Michael Jones28 March 2022 14:05

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