Max Verstappen edged out Charles Leclerc by half a second in a thrilling finish to a wild weekend which saw Saudi Arabia’s second-ever F1 race in Jeddah take place two days after a missile attack by Iran-backed Houthis hit a civilian facility a few miles from the race track.
Carlos Sainz placed in third and pole-sitter Sergio Perez had to settle for fourth after pitting just before a pivotal Safety Car. Perez led until the 16th lap.
Many F1 enthusiasts considered the race a thriller, and Jeddah’s unique, demanding, and tight track and high speeds set the stage for an exciting finish between Verstappen and Leclerc.
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen won an epic battle over Charles Leclerc in Saudi Arabia.
But adding to the drama was an ill-timed cross-border terrorist attack by Yemen’s Houthi group, which the UN Security Council recently classified as a “terrorist group” for the first time.
The attack struck an oil depot in Jeddah, setting it ablaze and creating a dystopian backdrop to the race’s practice stages and event lead-up. Drivers continued to practice Friday night, even as the smoke billowed in the distance.
The decision to go forward with the race was made only after an hours-long meeting where several drivers shared serious safety concerns with organizers, according to reports. The BBC reported that a four-hour meeting was held involving drivers, team bosses, F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali, and other organizers to discuss those safety concerns. The report says drivers were convinced to continue on after those talks.
“They explained it to us in a very credible way and this made all the 10 of us that were in the room confident that they take their responsibility very seriously,” Aston Martin team principal Mike Krack said on Saturday.
But despite the pre-race disruption, the race was conducted safely, providing fans an exciting event with a thrilling finish.
