Red Bull remains in a different league. After Max Verstappen and Sergio Pérez opened the season with a double in Bahrain, the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix confirmed the team’s dominant form. The action-packed 23-race run—the longest calendar in Formula 1 history—saw Milton Keynes-based Red Bull extend its momentum in Jeddah, with Pérez delivering a major victory for the Mexican driver, his fifth career win. Fernando Alonso pushed his Aston Martin into podium contention once again, leveraging a lower top speed from the RB19 to secure third place and the status of the best of the rest. The 100th podium of Alonso’s Formula 1 career underscored high expectations for him and his team, despite a post-race suspension issue. Meanwhile, Silverstone experienced reliability setbacks as Lance Stroll retired.
Fernando Alonso lost third place in Arabia due to a mechanic’s jack
In the buildup, Sergio Pérez warned that he would not underestimate the two-time world champion, who started from second on the grid—the first time since Canada 2022. When the lights went out, Alonso seized the race early, clinching control of the first corner. Pérez pressed hard to close the gap, but Alonso’s pace forced him to chase from behind. FIA officials slapped a five-second penalty on Alonso for an incorrect starting position, yet a swift run with DRS allowed Pérez to pass, while Alonso followed a planned strategy to maximize his first stop.
Behind them, Leclerc and Verstappen moved aggressively from midpack. Leclerc chose a soft-tyre strategy, while a penalty for Leclerc’s third electronic control unit complicated his race. He closed the gap to teammate Carlos Sainz in just fourteen laps. Verstappen, who began fifteenth after a Saturday technical hiccup, still managed to climb onto the podium with the majority opting for medium-compound tires.
Verstappen’s climb
A safety car, triggered by Lance Stroll’s retirement in the Aston Martin, condensed the field with 18 laps completed. The restart left 30 laps to go, and Red Bull introduced a lower downforce package in Jeddah that provided Pérez with extra grip. Pérez surged ahead, while Hamilton and Sainz traded positions behind the leading duo. Red Bull’s pace turned the race into a display of power, with Alonso offering stubborn resistance but unable to fully match the two Red Bull drivers, who dominated the final stretch amid pressure from the Mercedes pair.
Without team orders—an unusual stance this season—Pérez and Verstappen delivered a dynamic performance, trading fast laps and brushing the walls with precision. Alonso, though quick, could not match the extraordinary pace of Red Bull’s front runners but stayed ahead of the field’s rest of the contenders, confirming his status as the top driver outside the lead pair. As the race entered its final stages, Verstappen signaled a potential issue with ten laps remaining, which Alonso sensed as an opportunity. The result was a double podium for Red Bull, with Pérez and Verstappen on top and Alonso in the remarkable third. A potential additional time penalty rumbled on the radio, but Alonso remained in the top trio on the podium.
FIVE TURNING POINTS. It is the kind of moment that keeps the title chase unpredictable and alive.
It is a reminder that the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix continues to showcase the drama of Formula 1, where strategy, pace, and precision can redefine an afternoon in the blink of an eye.
After the race, Ferrari reflected on their performance. Bahrain had shown concerns about grip and track conditioning, and Arabia reinforced those questions. Carlos Sainz finished sixth and Charles Leclerc seventh, a result that left Maranello eager to reassess the car’s configuration and strategy for upcoming races.
Aston Martin “works anywhere”
Beyond the final standings, the most heartening news for Aston Martin and Alonso was the AMR23’s versatility across very different circuits. The team highlighted strong winter testing and a solid Bahrain start, with the Saudi race proving the car’s adaptability on a new track. The message was clear: the car performs well on diverse surfaces, which is a major relief and a strong motivation boost for the squad. Alonso signaled a forward plan, aiming for precise goals at the next race in Albert Park, Melbourne, while underscoring the importance of sustaining momentum through the season.