Sergio Perez won the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, leading a Red Bull one-two finish as Max Verstappen climbed from 15th on the grid to second place. Fernando Alonso, who initially took the lead but received a five-second penalty for an incorrect starting location, managed to secure third place on the podium. During the race, both McLaren drivers had to pit for front wing changes, while Charles Leclerc and Verstappen moved up the ranks. Despite concerns about Verstappen's driveshaft, he secured the fastest lap, maintaining his championship lead by one point. The Mercedes duo, George Russell and Lewis Hamilton finished in fourth and fifth, with the Ferraris of Carlos Sainz and Leclerc coming in sixth and seventh.
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Valterri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu debrief their lack of points from disappointing P18 and P13 finishes, respectively.
The FIA has confirmed that Fernando Alonso's penalty at the 2023 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix was served correctly, reinstating him to his original third place finish and 100th podium of his career. Alonso initially received an additional 10 second penalty for not serving his 5s out-of-position start penalty correctly due to a rear jack touching the car which would constitute working on it.
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During a post-race chat, Max Verstappen revealed to Sergio Perez and Fernando Alonso how the Safety Car at the F1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix helped him. Verstappen started in 15th place but managed to secure P2, with his Red Bull teammate Perez winning the race. The Safety Car made it easier for Verstappen to catch up, although he believed he would have done so eventually. The Red Bulls' dominance in the second race of 2023 was a strong display, with Perez maintaining his lead after briefly losing it to Alonso at the start.
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Witness how easily Max Verstappen overtakes George Russell in Saudi Arabian GP