The fifth Saudi Arabian Formula 1 Grand Prix was certainly spiced up by controversy, particularly a significant incident on the very first corner.
Max Verstappen had once again produced an incredible qualifying lap to secure pole position. This impressive feat might have been aided by a slipstream from teammate Yuki Tsunoda, Lando Norris`s qualifying crash bringing out a red flag, and Red Bull`s strategic decision to fuel Verstappen for two rapid attempts in the final minutes.
Few in Formula 1 would argue that Max is currently the sport`s top driver. However, McLaren`s Oscar Piastri is rapidly developing. Despite having significantly less F1 experience than both Verstappen (163 starts behind) and Norris (82 starts behind), Piastri has now won 10% of his 51 races and surprisingly leads the world championship, showing clear potential for further improvement.
Starting from second, Piastri got a better launch than Verstappen and reached the first corner apex level on the inside. Revised steward guidelines this year state that a driver who effectively `wins` a corner by being alongside is not required to leave space on the outside.
The responsibility shifts to the other driver to concede the position. This rule change aims to prevent outside drivers from deliberately going wide (sometimes by braking late or even accelerating) to force the inside driver off track and then claim they weren`t given enough space, thus easily earning a penalty for the inside driver. Martin Brundle suggests this is precisely what Max attempted on Sunday.
Ultra-competitive Red Bull Make Misread
Max is known for expertly pushing the limits of the rules, but this time, his gamble didn`t pay off. While some incidents allow for debate based on different perspectives, accelerating across the run-off area with minimal steering input clearly gave Max an unfair advantage and the race lead.
Many, including Martin Brundle and analysts like Karun Chandhok who analysed the incident, had no doubt about this. The stewards agreed, issuing a five-second penalty. This was reportedly a reduction from a potential 10-second penalty, softened because the incident occurred on the opening lap during close racing.
Verstappen ultimately finished 2.8 seconds behind. It`s debatable whether instructing him to immediately yield the position might have allowed him to win. Conversely, leading in clear air provided advantages like protecting tyres, brakes, and engine from overheating, contributing to a strong first stint pace. Perhaps, from their perspective, the tactical benefits outweighed the five-second penalty. Max himself was reportedly frustrated by the penalty.
Had there been a wall, barrier, or gravel trap outside Turn 1, Max would likely have yielded and fallen in behind Piastri`s McLaren.
Long after the race, Max remained furious, believing the stewards made an error and that he had rightfully taken the corner but was forced off track. Red Bull team boss Christian Horner also expressed frustration, defending his driver and suggesting the penalty cost Verstappen the win.
Martin Brundle notes this fierce competitiveness and conviction in always being right are hallmarks of the team`s success, contributing to their dominance. However, in this instance, they seemingly misjudged the situation and consequently missed out on victory.
Piastri shows fearlessness in battle with Verstappen
Elsewhere on the first lap, Yuki Tsunoda and Pierre Gasly collided in Turn 5, forcing both cars to retire after hitting the wall. While a common first-lap incident, it`s likely both drivers would allow more room if given the chance again in such a multi-corner battle.
This incident gained Lando Norris a couple of positions early on, having started 10th after his qualifying crash. Norris began his race on hard compound tyres, which proved very effective for him.
Norris quickly overtook Carlos Sainz (in the Williams). He then caught Lewis Hamilton, who experienced an inconsistent race. Hamilton cleverly used the DRS detection point after the final corner, allowing Norris past before the corner to regain the position using DRS on the subsequent main straight.
Norris eventually understood the tactic, stayed behind into the corner, and then used DRS himself to re-pass Hamilton on the straight. However, these strategic battles cost Norris valuable time and laps, potentially preventing him from achieving a podium finish.
Lando also passed Kimi Antonelli`s Mercedes and closed in on Charles Leclerc`s Ferrari. Leclerc ran an impressive stint on medium tyres until lap 29, while Norris pursued an alternative strategy, staying out on his starting hard tyres until lap 34.
Piastri was the first of the leading group to pit on lap 19. George Russell, struggling slightly in his Mercedes, pitted on lap 20, and Verstappen came in from the lead on lap 21. After serving his five-second penalty during the stop, Verstappen rejoined the track in a net second place, roughly four seconds behind the young Australian, Piastri.
The battle between Piastri and Verstappen became a cat-and-mouse chase until the end of the 50 laps. Despite navigating traffic, Piastri seemed to have sufficient pace to keep Verstappen behind. Oscar demonstrated impressive fearlessness with a superb overtake on Lewis Hamilton before Hamilton`s pit stop, even challenging around the outside of a driver of Hamilton`s experience in fast corners.
During his single pit stop, Norris had a few close calls, nearly crossing white lines entering the pit lane speed zone and attracting race control`s attention by almost exceeding the pit exit line. He narrowly avoided penalties for these. After passing Russell, he focused on closing the gap to Leclerc`s Ferrari again. Lando Norris himself lightheartedly commented on making things difficult for himself after narrowly missing the podium.
Both Leclerc and Norris put in exceptional drives. Leclerc secured Ferrari`s first podium of the season, finishing just one second ahead of Norris.
Hamilton Interviews Hard to Watch
George Russell finished a distant fifth, seven seconds ahead of his rookie teammate Kimi Antonelli, after his tyres degraded significantly.
Overall, it was a disappointing race weekend for Mercedes, described by the team as their worst of the season so far, especially considering their qualifying positions of third and fifth yielded only fifth and sixth finishes.
Lewis Hamilton finished seventh, significantly adrift of teammate Russell and the leaders. While showing flashes of pace, his post-race interviews are difficult to watch, reflecting his clear unhappiness, perplexity, and disappointment with his current performance. Hamilton himself appeared despondent after the race.
Carlos Sainz had a strong weekend for Williams, securing eighth place. He even strategically helped teammate Alex Albon stay in DRS range behind him to fend off the impressive Isack Hadjar, who took the final point for Racing Bulls in tenth.
Haas did not score points, allowing Williams to climb to fifth in the Constructors` Championship standings.
Fernando Alonso was reportedly very unhappy after the race, calling it his worst experience in 25 years. He finished 11th, benefiting from a 10-second penalty for Liam Lawson (for passing off track and not giving the position back). Martin Brundle recalls that just two years prior, Alonso in the Aston Martin was the only driver remotely challenging Red Bull, highlighting how much relative pace the team has lost since then.
While McLaren showed strong pace, the dynamic between Piastri and Norris, who finished closely, means they could take points away from each other in future races. This internal competition could potentially benefit rivals like Verstappen and, to an extent, Russell, allowing them to capitalize even if McLaren has a slight pace advantage.
To strengthen his position, Norris ideally needs a win in Miami. However, the competition is formidable and continuously improving.
