The only real question at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix was: Can Max Verstappen's lightning-fast one-lap pace be extended to the entire race, or will the scales tip in favor of the more stable Oscar Piastri when it comes to longer stints.
Max Verstappen had a great start, but Oscar Piastri followed suit. As these two equally tenacious drivers were, it was to be expected that they wouldn't reach the first corner without problems. And so it happened: Verstappen overtook Piastri, who was just barely in position, by illegally cutting the chicane. As these images flashed by, the safety car was already deployed. Pierre Gasly and Yuki Tsunoda had both crashed into the wall. Neither the Frenchman nor the Japanese could continue the race, while several drivers took the opportunity to switch to hard compounds.
After the restart, which Red Bull won easily, Verstappen and Co. faced a serious dilemma: give the position back to Piastri or risk a penalty? Ultimately, they opted for the latter for tactical reasons, but they didn't gain much by doing so. During the first "real" pit stops, the RB team received its five-second penalty, during which Piastri took the lead. Meanwhile, what was happening in the field? Aside from Charles Leclerc's long stint, there was nothing particularly noteworthy, but it was a joy to watch. The Scuderia Ferrari driver, with ingenious tire management and distribution, was already threatening podium positions in the final third of the race and overtook George Russell with a beautiful maneuver. Alongside him, Isaac Hadjar and the two Williams drivers also delivered above-average performances, all three remaining in the solid points-scoring zone throughout. There wasn't much action left in the final laps, one of which was Lando Norris, who fought his way through the race and ultimately gained six positions, moving up to fourth.
But he couldn't interfere in the game of the big guys, because Oscar Piastri won the race, and now leads the World Championship with the other McLaren. Behind him, Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc celebrated; they had all achieved something extraordinary that day.
Photo: Planet F1/ AP Photo
