Formula 1 in Saudi Arabia: Verstappen shone again, celebrated with Horner and Bearman gave the pleasant surprise with Ferrari

There is nothing to give to Red Bull and Max Verstappen. Not even the spicy weeks that its members have had to experience since the scandal with their team leader broke out. Christian Horner, they affect you when the red lights go out. She demonstrated it in Bahrain, the first stop of the season, and this Saturday at Saudi Arabian Grand Prix: Mad Max won solidly and comfortably escorted by the Mexican Sergio Checo Perezand they all ended up hugging each other during the celebration, as if nothing had happened.

Verstappen and Horner joined together, laughing, to try to dispel rumors of a fracas that began when some around the Red Bull team boss believed the three-time world champion’s father had been responsible for leaking information about the complaint through harassment, later fired in an internal investigation by the Austrian team.

On Friday it became known that Helmut Marko was under investigation by Red Bull for alleged press leaks into the investigation into Horner, and the team’s sports consultant admitted he may not be able to attend the next race in Australia. .

This motivated a lot of support from Verstappen, who declared it His future at Red Bull depended on Marko’s continuity within the organisationwhich marked a stark contrast to his words on the Horner case.

Inside the track you can’t see any of this. It was there 100th podium of Mad Max in his career, the 56th victory and its ninth consecutive. Unstoppable.

“That early stop for the safety car forced us to manage the pace. Here you don’t want to go to the limit, I tried to be more constant. Extend the difference when I needed it and not take too many risks” analyzed Verstappen, who logically leads the World Drivers’ Championship.

“We’ve made some progress, but it’s a shame we weren’t on the front row of the grid in qualifying. This track is very different to that of Bahrain – where the Red Bulls achieved the same result – but we’re still strong,” – he commented Czech, born 34 years ago in Guadalajara (Jalisco).

Third place on the podium went to the Monegasque from Ferrari Charles Leclercwho had shared the first starting line with Verstappen, and who finished more than 20 seconds behind the winner of the day, although in the end he managed to score the point on the fastest lap.

The Spanish Fernando Alonso He was fifth, two places ahead of the young British Ferrari driver Oliver Bearmannwho more than fulfilled his first F1 GP as an emergency replacement for Spaniard Carlos Sainz Jr, who was recovering from an appendicitis operation.

Bearman, who started from eleventh position, became the the third youngest driver in history participate in a Formula 1 Grand Prix.

“It was a fantastic weekend. I tried to concentrate on work and get points for the team. The coaches helped me a lot, they did a great job with me. He told me lap after lap in which area I could improve,” said the regular Formula 2 driver.

“He did an incredible job, being seventh in your first F1 race is really impressive”Leclerc reflected.

Towards the end of the race, he resisted the comeback of Lando Norris and Lewis Hamilton to cross the finish line ahead of the experienced drivers. The public recognized him in the “driver of the day” elections, in which he obtained 48.3% of the votes, ahead of Hamilton (7.3%) and Kevin Magnussen (6.7%).

The Australian Oscar Piastriof McLaren, finished in fourth place, ahead of Alonso’s Aston Martin.

George Russell (Mercedes), bear, Lando Norris (McLaren), Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) and the amazing Haas by Nico Hulkenberg They completed the top-10.