World champion Max Verstappen admitted he was relieved to secure his first win of the season after battling to a thrilling victory ahead of old rival Charles Leclerc in Sunday’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
The 24-year-old Dutchman said it had been a difficult, but good race and it showed that this season’s title battle “will be super-close between the two of us” after he won by just half a second ahead of the Ferrari.
“It was a tricky one,” said the Red Bull driver.
“We were battling hard at the front and we just had to play the long game. They were really quick through the corners, but we were quick on the straight.
“The tyres were wearing out quite quick around here so you could see, at the end, I think we just had a little more pace and I just tried to get by.”
Verstappen added that he had to learn to be patient to make the most of his car’s ‘new era’ performance.
“It wasn’t easy, they were playing smart tricks in the last corner, but eventually I managed to get ahead.
Leclerc congratulated his rival on his victory on their slow-down laps, but after two races remains the embryonic championship’s early season leader by 12 points.
His Ferrari team-mate Carlos Sainz finished third ahead of Sergio Perez in the second Red Bull, the top four proving to be in a class of their own.
Mercedes new boy George Russell came home fifth ahead of Alpine’s Esteban Ocon and McLaren’s Lando Norris with Pierre Gasly taking eighth for AlphaTauri.
Kevin Magnussen finished ninth for Haas and seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton 10th, rescuing some pride after starting 15th on a difficult weekend in the second Mercedes.
It was the 21st win of his career for Verstappen and, like Leclerc, he welcomed the success of the new era cars that have permitted closer racing and allowed drivers to recover and regain positions after being passed.
