Sunday debrief: Verstappen wins as Bearman debuts with a P7 finish

Verstappen took his first Saudi Arabia win and 100th podium in Formula One, Perez following 7 seconds behind the race leader to make it a Red Bull 1-2 finish. While Verstappen was the winner, the buzz in the paddock was surrounding 18-year-old Oliver Bearman, who made his F1 debut for Ferrari.

 

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Qualifying:

 

Bearman replaced Sainz starting from Friday, Sainz being taken to hospital where he would successfully undergo surgery for appendicitis. With only one hour to learn the car in FP3, Bearman just missed out on a Q3 appearance by 0.036 seconds, the Brit qualifying for his first race in P11. Hamilton just about staying ahead of the young talent in his Mercedes. Leclerc in the other Ferrari was able to stay ahead of the Bull of Sergio Perez, with a front row start alongside the reigning world champion Max Verstappen who started from pole.

 

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Zhou was set to start the race from the back of the grid, after Zhou lost control of his Sauber at Turn 7 in FP3, hitting the barriers, and causing significant damage to his Sauber. The mechanics at Sauber rushed to get the car ready for qualifying, sending Zhou out with under 2 minutes left of QI. Zhou was unable to make an impact in that time and qualified P20, while Bottas struggled to make his way out of Q1 for another weekend, qualifying in P16.

 

Hulkenberg bought out the yellow flag in Q2 4 minutes into the session, as the Haas stopped at the side of the track. Magnussen qualified in P15 for Haas, with Magnussen on the row ahead in P13.

 

Verstappen secured pole for Saturdays race, his teammate Perez starting in P3. The Ferrari of Charles Leclerc slicing between the 2 Bulls, followed by Alonso in P4, the two McLaren’s lead by Piastri locking out the third row and the two Mercedes led by Russell on the fourth row. Tsunoda started in P9 and Stroll in P10 to round of the top 10.

 

Saturdays Race:

 

Issues began from the formation lap for Alpine, whose fate this season is not looking promising. Gasly took to the team radio on the formation lap complaining about potential gearbox issues. Gasly took the 5 lights before being called into the pits at the end of Lap 1, making the Alpine the first retirement of the race and the season.

 

Not long into the race, the yellow flag was brought out on Lap 6, for Lance Stroll who went into the barriers in sector 3 at Turn 22, the Safety Car shortly following. Ferrari hoping to see Bearman go to the end of the race. Bought Bearman into the pits for a set of Hard tyres. The remainder of the grid, excluding Norris, Hamilton, Hulkenberg, and Zhou came into the pits all returning on a set of Hard compound tyres. Norris inherited the race lead, with Verstappen re-joining the track just ahead of Hamilton in P3. The Safety Car continued for a few laps before ending at the end of Lap 9.

 

Norris did well to get away for Verstappen but was eventually outpaced by the Bull on Lap 13 with the help of DRS to get ahead at the start/finish straight. Perez making the same move a few places behind to get ahead of Hamilton and up into the final podium place. Perez shortly got his RB20 close to the back of the McLaren before passing Norris to move up into P2 on Lap 18.

 

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The FIA demonstrated the start of a stricter season, as they began to dish out penalties. Perez was handed a 5-second penalty for an unsafe release during his pit stop under the Safety Car, Perez being released into the path of Fernando Alonso. Magnussen was next to be handed a penalty for 10-seconds for causing a collision with Albon, the Haas squeezing the Williams into the wall in an attempt to stay ahead. Magnussen was out of luck today; the Haas driver being handed a second 10-second penalty for leaving the track and gaining an advantage in his battled with the RB of Tsunoda.

 

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Bearman was patiently picking off the cars, as he swooped past Hulkenberg down the start/finish straight on Lap 21 to move up into P9 after being stuck behind the Haas for quite some time. Bearman moved up into the points a few laps earlier, on Lap 14 after passing Zhou to get into P10.

 

Hamilton defended well from Piastri on the same set of tyres from the start of the race, as the Australian got desperate to pass the Mercedes in the later stages of the race. The Australian driver locking up on a few occasions and leaving the track, gave Hamilton the space to stay ahead. Yet to make a pit stop and the McLaren lining up to make a move down the start/finish straight, Hamilton boxed on Lap 37, Piastri not getting the satisfaction of making that long anticipated overtake. Hamilton re-joined out in P9, Norris following suit, pitting on Lap 38 and staying ahead of the Mercedes in P8.

 

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Bearman being promoted up into P7 had the pressure put on him with Norris and Hamilton within 4 seconds of the back of the Ferrari. Hamilton gaining on Norris ran out of laps, failing to clear the McLaren. All this time the McLaren and Mercedes bringing the gap between themselves and Bearman down to around 2 seconds. Bearman feeling a sense of relief as he took the chequered flag keeping his position ahead of his fellow brits, the pair appearing closely in the 18-year-olds rear mirrors.

 

It was Verstappen of course who was first once again to take the chequered flag, with another 1-2 Red Bull finish in Saudi Arabia. Perez kept his position with the penalty ahead of the Ferrari of Leclerc in P3 with an 11 second gap. Leclerc stole the fastest lap on the final lap from Hamilton making it 16 points for the Monegasque, while his teammate for the race Made his debut, with a spectacular drive landing him the fans Driver of the Day.