The 2023 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix was one to remember, with brilliant performances from drivers and teams alike. Sergio Perez took the chequered flag, winning the race from his Red Bull teammate Max Verstappen. Fernando Alonso initially finished in third place, but post-race penalties saw him demoted to fourth, promoting George Russell to the podium. The FIA then reversed their decision and reinstated Alonso to P3. Lewis Hamilton finished fifth, with Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc completing the top seven.
Perez’s Dominance
Sergio Perez was dominant throughout the race, winning from pole position and leading every lap. His pace was impressive, and he never seemed to be in any danger of being overtaken by his teammate Verstappen. Perez’s victory was his fifth in F1, and four of them have come on street circuits. It was a fantastic performance by the Mexican, bar losing P1 to Alonso at the race start. Moreover, he proved many a fans wrong, who thought he would be no match for Max.
Verstappen’s charge through the field
The Dutchman started the race from 15th place after a penalty for an engine change. However, Verstappen’s performance was remarkable as he charged through the field with his rocket engine. He was helped by an early safety car after Lance Stroll’s car stopped on track, which allowed him to gain ground on the leaders. Verstappen eventually finished in second place, just behind his teammate Perez.
Alonso’s penalty?
Fernando Alonso initially celebrated his 100th F1 podium finish after finishing in third place. However, post-race penalties saw him demoted to fourth place. Alonso was penalized for being out of his grid slot at the start and was given a five-second penalty. However, he was also found to have served the penalty incorrectly, which resulted in a 10-second post-race penalty. This heartbreaking decision pushed George Russell onto the podium instead. Or did it?
After the race Aston Martin disputed the penalty. The penalty initially was given to Alonso as the back jack touched the car before the 5s had ended. This is constituted as working on the car, and hence the 10s penalty. But Aston argued that jacks were allowed to touch the car to guide the car during the pit stop. This exception was granted for front jacks, as they come in contact even before the car stops. But since the exception doesn’t specify which jack, the FIA were forced to reinstate Alonso to his 100th podium finish.
Russel’s Impressive P4
Although not on the podium, Russell’s performance was impressive, as he kept Lewis Hamilton at bay to finish P4. He, valiantly proved his point by pulling out a gap from Hamilton when he was asked to give way to Lewis who was on Medium tyres, compared to George on the Hards.
Hamilton Denied P4 by Teammate
Lewis Hamilton had a difficult race, finishing in fifth place after starting in fourth place. He never seemed to have the pace to challenge the front-runners and was ultimately beaten by his teammate George Russell. It was a disappointing performance by the seven-time world champion, who will be looking to bounce back at the next race in Australia.
Ferrari’s Mediocre Showing
Ferrari had a solid strategy in Saudi Arabia, with Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc finishing in sixth and seventh places, respectively. They both started the race outside the top ten, but their pace was impressive throughout the race. The team will be happy with their performance, but they will need to find more pace if they want to challenge Red Bull and Mercedes at the front of the grid. Overall, a mediocre performance considering fans expected them to be fighting for the championship.
Forgettable McLaren
Everything aside, the truly disappointing performance in the race came from McLaren, who were P19 and 20 only 2 laps from the start and put up a forgettable performance in the rest of the race, except for the battle with Logan. But, perhaps McLaren fans would like to forget that. Let’s hope for the sake of Lando and Oscar the team bounces back like last year to fight in the midfield.
Final thoughts
The 2023 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix was an exciting race, with plenty of action throughout. Sergio Perez’s dominant performance saw him take the chequered flag, while George Russell’s P4 finish was a fantastic achievement for the young driver. Overall, it was a great race, and F1 fans will be looking forward to the next race in Australia.