(Motorsport) Formula 1 driver Sergio Perez won the Saudi Arabia GP while his teammate Max Verstappen went from 15th to 2nd as Red Bull Racing continued their impressive start to the season. Perez had only won three races in his previous two seasons and displayed great composure to hold his advantage at the first place, despite not getting the fastest lap (due to controversial circumstances). Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso finished in third place in what was his 100th podium finish under controversial circumstances as well.
The Spaniard was initially demoted to fourth place after being handed a 10 second penalty for incorrectly serving an earlier five-second penalty for starting in the wrong position. Alonso had started the race too far on the left and the second infringement was because the rear jack was in contact with his car while serving the five second penalty. However, Aston Martin successfully appealed the decision as the rear jack touching the car did not constitute work being done by the mechanics, which means no rule was broken.
George Russell finished ahead of Lewis Hamilton in fourth place, rejecting Mercedes’ calls for letting the seven time World Champion through who was on the medium compound and had a better chance of catching up to Fernando Alonso. Russell justified his decision by going faster than Hamilton and both the Mercedes cars were comfortably ahead of Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari’s. The Monegasque driver was visibly frustrated by his team’s strategy after not receiving the correct instructions during the race. Esteban Ocon finished in eighth place ahead of Pierre Gasly while Kevin Magnussen ended up in 10th place ahead of AlphaTauri’s Yuki Tsunoda.
Saudi Arabian GP Race Result
1) Sergio Perez, Red Bull
2) Max Verstappen, Red Bull
3) Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin
4) George Russell, Mercedes
5) Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes
6) Carlos Sainz, Ferrari
7) Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
8) Esteban Ocon, Alpine
9) Pierre Gasly, Alpine
10) Kevin Magnussen, Haas
Also read: Formula 1: Mercedes chief Toto Wolff puts Lewis Hamilton’s future in question
