MOTORSPORT: Verstappen F1 streak continues

Max Verstappen has overcome a week of off-track drama in the Red Bull camp to continue his run of nine straight victories with his latest success in the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit yesterday.

The result was Verstappen’s 100th podium from only his 187th start since 2015, while the win was the 115th for Red Bull, placing the team fourth on the all-time winners list behind Ferrari (243), McLaren (183) and Mercedes (125).

Sergio Perez’s second runner-up result from the opening two races of 2024 provided the perfect antidote to the growing pressure mounting on the Red Bull team’s management, as the fallout from team principal Christian Horner’s off-track dramas continues to rumble.

“I think overall of course a fantastic weekend for the whole team, but also from my side I felt really good with the car and also basically was the same in the race,” said Verstappen.

“Of course, the last stint was a bit longer than we would have liked, but with the safety car we had to go for it.

“So the last few laps, also with those backmarkers, with the cold tyres, it was a little bit slippery but we had good pace so we could manage it quite well. Overall, very, very pleased.”

From the race start, pole-sitter Verstappen swept into the lead, while behind him Charles Leclerc muscled his Ferrari in front of Perez and the gearbox of Pierre Gasly’s Alpine gave up on the opening circuit, resulting in the first non-finish of the 2024 season.

Oscar Piastri (McLaren) proved to be a mover and shaker early, leaping past Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) at the start of lap two, while on lap four of 50 Perez displaced Leclerc for second.

The complexion of the race changed two laps later when Lance Stroll fired into the barriers, necessitating a safety car to recover the stricken Aston Martin.

This saw most cars take to the pits, with the notable exception of Lando Norris (McLaren) and Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes), who moved up the running order, with Norris leading at the restart.

Verstappen bided his time before pouncing on the lead at the start of lap 13, with Perez elevated to second five circuits later.

Perhaps the most impressive drive came from debutant Oliver Bearman, who stepped up for Ferrari after Carlos Sainz was sidelined with appendicitis.

After scoring pole position in the Formula 2 support race earlier in the weekend, Bearman started the main event from 11th and ran smartly to sit in the slipstream of George Russell (Mercedes) for the run home.

At the chequered flag, it was Verstappen with the victory by 13sec from Perez, Leclerc and Piastri, who now holds down fifth in the season standings after two GPs.

Alonso was fifth ahead of Russell, Bearman, Norris and Hamilton, marking the first time four Brits have scored F1 points in a race since John Surtees, Jackie Stewart, Vic Elford and Piers Courage achieved the feat at the 1968 French Grand Prix.

The final point-scorer was Nico Hulkenberg, who stayed out under the safety car to earn Haas its first Sunday points in 20 races.

Daniel Ricciardo, meanwhile, had a tough race in his RB, with lingering car issues compounded by a spin on the last lap, resulting in a 16th-place finish.

Next on the Formula 1 schedule is the Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park, with race day set for Sunday, March 24.

2024 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix results:

2024 Formula 1 championship standings: