There was a huge sense of anticipation here in Jeddah as we approached lights out for the second round of the 2023 Formula 1 season, the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. A light show took place around the track, but this was only gentle entertainment before the real action began. All eyes were be on reigning world champion Max Verstappen and Scuderia Ferrari Monegasque driver Charles Leclerc as they attempted to charge through the field from 15th and 12th on the grid respectively.
Desperately hoping the Dutchman would be held up was his team-mate Sergio Perez, who was seeking the fifth win of his Formula 1 career. Behind the Mexican, Fernando Alonso was chasing a first Formula 1 victory since 2013, when he last won for Scuderia Ferrari, and he was the driver that seemed to be attracting the most neutral support here at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit. Scuderia Ferrari Spanish driver Carlos Sainz started from P4.
There was a note issued before the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix weekend on the drag reduction system (DRS) for this round: the detection zone for the main straight – the line which measures whether the car behind is within a second – was moved from before the last corner to after. This meant there was less cat-and-mouse type action before the last corner – like last year.
Sergio Perez was leading the cars on their formation lap and we were just moments away from the second race of the season getting under way. The majority of the cars started on the medium tyre, but Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc took alternative approaches. Hamilton went for the hard, which allowed him to run long and potentially be able to take advantage of a Safety Car at some point. Meanwhile, the Monegasque’s decision to go on softs should have given him a chance of making a flying start from 12th. It was interesting to see if Ferrari got their strategy right this time.
Fernando Alonso had a great start and the Aston Martin man took the lead from Sergio Perez right at the first corner. George Russell and Carlos Sainz kept their places and Perez was now +0027s off the new leader. Unfortunately the Spanish driver was passed by Lance Stroll on the second lap, dropping to fifth place. On the other hand it was a great start for Charles Leclerc, who moved up to ninth place at the end of the first lap.
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Fernando Alonso was noted for an incorrect starting position so his joy at taking the lead was short-lived. There was penalty incoming for the Spaniard in his Aston Martin. Sergio Perez was within a second of Fernando Alonso since that early overtake by the Aston Martin and the Mexican retook the lead on lap 4. It was an interesting decision for Lewis Hamilton to star on those hard tyres and it took a while to see if that strategy would pay off. Pierre Gasly, on the mediums, was within DRS range and then had Charles Leclerc chasing just behind. The Monegasque driver took advantage of his soft tyres and got past Pierre Gasly and Lewis Hamilton to move up to seventh place, as the Ferrari man was now targeting Esteban Ocon, which he passed on lap 13.
Charles Leclerc was now in sixth place and was catching his Maranello teammate Carlos Sainz, who was blocked behind Lance Stroll. Unfortunately Max Verstappen also got past the Alpine of Esteban Ocon and was now hunting down Charles Leclerc who was around a second and a half ahead of him.
On lap 16 Carlos Sainz was called in the pits by Ferrari and it was a quick stop from the Maranello team: he came back out ahead of Lance Stroll- the strategy worked so far! The following lap it was Charles Leclerc’s turn to change the tyers, mounting the hards. back out JUST in front of Lance Stroll as it seemed that decision to bring the Aston Martin in early had cost them.
Unfortunately for Ferrari, Lance Stroll stopped at Turn 13 after being told by his team to stop the car. The Safety Car was deployed and we had to see a busy pit lane, just a few moments after the Ferrari drivers had pitted. George Russell, Sergio Perez. Fernando Alonso, and Max Verstappen all headed to the pits. Alonso served his penalty and managed to STAY AHEAD of George Russell. Lewis Hamilton also came into the pits and managed to come out ahead of Charles Leclerc on the medium tyres.
As the safety car was back in, we resumed racing with Sergio Perez, Fernando Alonso, George Russell, Max Verstappen and Carlos Sainz our top five in that order. Lewis Hamilton, in sixth, was the only man in the top 14 on the medium tyres and he took advantage to overtake the SF-23 car of Carlos. Closer and closer Max Verstappen got as he gained on George Russell. With DRS enabled, Max Verstappen just absolutely cruised past George Russell on the straight. The Dutchman was making overtaking look simple today as he took his chance and got past Fernando Alonso. That meant we had a Red Bull one-two midway through the race.
Sergio Perez was doing a good job at this stage of keeping his teammate well away. Max Verstappen was five seconds away from the leader and they kept trading fastest laps.
Carlos Sainz was lapping 5 tenths slower than those in front, as the Hard tyres did not seem to be working for the Maranello team. “Being behind like this is really shit. I don’t know what to do.” – the Monegasque driver conceded. Although Sergio Perez was keeping Max Verstappen away at this stage, they both pulled away from the rest of the pack, with Fernando Alonso over 10 seconds behind in third.
It’s fair to say that Charles Leclerc was disappointed with the pace of his Ferrari. He was languishing back in seventh, and the Ferraris were struggling to catch the Mercedes duo ahead. Ferrari were the only team to not have another set of mediums, so if they wanted a safety car, they would have wanted a late one.
Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc were still running sixth and seventh and were failing to make anymore ground on Lewis Hamilton in front of them. It is fair to say they will be disappointed with that.
Haas driver Magnussen moved into the final points position, passing Tsunoda in the AlphaTauri after a ding-dong battle with just a few laps to until the end of the race.
Sergio Perez therefore won the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix! That is the first race that the Mexican has ever won with max Verstappen in second place and that is another one-two finish for Red Bull. The Dutchman took the fastest lap.
Fernando Alonso, as it stands, comes home for his 100th podium and becomes only the sixth ever driver to do so. The Mercs then follow with the Ferrari Sf-23 cars behind them, on another disappointing afternoon for the Maranello team.
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