Who were the winners and losers from F1 Saudi Arabian GP?

The Saudi Arabian GP is one of the most exciting races on the F1 calendar. The high-speed nature of the Jeddah Corniche Circuit pushes drivers to the limit with no room for mistakes. The 2024 iteration of the race saw Max Verstappen continue his winning streak with Red Bull bagging another one-two finish.

However, the race saw a lot of action throughout the grid. Lando Norris almost collided with Yuki Tsunoda before the race had even begun. Moreover, rookie Oliver Bearman showcased his talent in F1 as he subbed in for Carlos Sainz. Charles Leclerc put up a fight against Red Bull, albeit Ferrari still had a long way to go before matching the reigning world champions.

The Jeddah street race did not fair well for a handful of drivers. Sergio Perez was handed a penalty for an unsafe pit release. While Kevin Magnussen faced two time penalties over the course of the race. Nevertheless, there was no shortage of thrill for fans despite the less number of on-track overtakes. This article delves into the winners and losers from the Saudi Arabian GP.

Here are the list of winners and losers from Saudi Arabian GP

Winner – Max Verstappen

Max Verstappen headed into the Jeddah weekend after a dominant race win in Bahrain. The 26-year-old was undoubtedly the favorite to win in Saudi Arabia. The three-time world champion put his car on pole ahead of Charles Leclerc. Verstappen had a great start which allowed him to solidify his lead.

The 26-year-old gained a lead of over a second after the first lap of the race. Subsequently, Verstappen was once again in a league of his own and comfortably won the race. The reigning world champion admitted that he was facing trouble with slippery tires. However, the massive gap to the competition allowed Max Verstappen to win his ninth race in a row.

The last few laps with the backmarkers and old tyres was a bit slippery, but we could manage it with the gap behind.

Max Verstappen told during post-race interviews (H&T: @JunaidSamodien_/X).

The three-time world champion continues to enjoy a pace advantage over the competition. Certainly, Max Verstappen would be looking to further increase his winning streak this season. Red Bull has found itself in a comfortable spot ahead of rivals for now. As such, it seems that fans will continue to see Verstappen win in the coming weeks.

Loser – Mercedes

The Mercedes F1 team has struggled in F1’s ground-effect era. The Silver Arrows took a big step with its car for this season to return to winning ways. However, it was not enough for Lewis Hamilton and George Russell to fight for victory in Jeddah.

Hamilton could only manage a P9 finish in the race. The seven-time world champion highlighted that he was not happy with the Mercedes W15 despite the big developments made over the winter. Russell faired better than the 39-year-old with a P6 result. However, both Mercedes drivers seem to be struggling to perform in the race.

We've definitely got to make some big changes. We haven't made big enough changes, perhaps. If you look at the three teams ahead of us, they still have different concepts to where we are in some areas. So we've got some performance to add, that's for sure.

Lewis Hamilton told RacingNews365.

The Silver Arrows have a lot of work left to do to get back to the front of the grid. Mercedes has fallen behind Ferrari and instead failing to outperform McLaren. It will be interesting to see how the team uses the feedback from Lewis Hamilton and George Russell for in-season upgrades this season.

Winner – Oliver Bearman

Oliver Bearman received a call from Ferrari to replace Carlos Sainz for the Saudi Arabian GP. The 18-year-old had his first outing in the SF24 just hours before Qualifying. Nevertheless, the Briton stood up to the mammoth task of racing for the Scuderia in F1 with a P11 result in Qualifying.

Bearman further proved his worth in the race. The F2 driver was not afraid of lunging into the braking zone for an overtake. Oliver Bearman managed to make up a few places in the race and finished in seventh place. The 18-year-old even avoided any mistakes during his F1 debut.

The British driver has made a mark in his F1 outing for Maranello. Oliver Bearman claimed that he had done everything he could in Saudi Arabia. The 18-year-old ultimately eyes a full-time seat in the sport for next season. Certainly, Bearman has made a strong case for a drive in Formula 1.

I don't know what else I can do, because I don't think I'll be in F1 for the rest of the year. That was my goal, to do a great showing this weekend, I think I did a decent job, so that is alright. That is all I can do, keep pushing in F2 and cross my fingers.

Oliver Berman told motorsport.com.

Loser – Daniel Ricciardo

Daniel Ricciardo eyes Sergio Perez’s Red Bull seat for 2025. However, it seems that the Australian driver is failing to even match Yuki Tsunoda at VisaCashAppRB. After a disappointing outing in Bahrain, Ricciardo once again failed to outqualify the Japanese driver in Jeddah.

The 34-year-old struggled in the race and seemed to be nowhere near Tsunoda’s level. While Yuki Tsunoda battled throughout the race with Haas and Williams, Daniel Ricciardo found him in the tail end of the grid. The Australian driver simply didn’t have the pace to make gains for the Faenza-based team.

Ultimately, Ricciardo could only manage a P16 result for the team only ahead of the two Stake F1 cars. Certainly, the Australian needs to pick up his pace in the coming races or else Red Bull could simply ruke him out of contention for 2025. On the other hand, Yuki Tsunoda might have a great opportunity in the F1 driver market if the Japanese driver continues to annihilate the 8-time race winner.

Winner – Haas

The Haas F1 team felt a few setbacks in the winter break. Guenther Steiner was shown the door by team owner Gene Haas. Moreover, it was clear that Haas was not willing to invest more into the American squad. New Team Principal Ayao Komatsu had claimed that the team expected to be at the bottom of the standings at the start of the year.

However, Haas’ performances have exceeded its own expectations. Nico Hulkenberg continued to be the star performer for the American team after a Q3 entry in Bahrain GP. The German driver managed to deliver an impressive drive in Jeddah as he stayed out during the first pit-window. The 36-year-old finished in the points in P10, a massive accomplishment considering the team’s expectations.

A point is very valuable these days. It has felt like a very clean race. We have divided strategies during the safety car and it has worked well.

Nico Hulkenberg said as reported by SoyMotor

Kevin Magnussen had shown good pace in the race as well. However, the Danish driver received two time penalties which inevitably ruined any chances of a points finish. Nevertheless, Magnussen crossed the chequered flag in P12. Certainly, Komatsu and his team would be satisfied with the team’s start to the season.

Loser – Alpine

The Alpine F1 team is in turmoil. The French team had a disastrous pre-season with a slow and overweight car. Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly had a dismal weekend in Bahrain, failing to outperform a single driver on pure pace. The Renault works team even saw a few resignations after the race including legendary designer Bob Bell.

The Saudi Arabian GP continued Alpine’s disappointing run. Pierre Gasly suffered from gearbox issues on the cool down lap. Subsequently Gasly was forced to retire his car after the start of the race. Esteban Ocon had a better race than his teammate. The 27-year-old managed to finish the race in thirteenth place as the team avoided any incidents throughout the race.

Certainly, Alpine remains the slowest team on the grid this year. Although, Ocon’s performance could be a sign of hope for Team Enstone. It is certain that the French team will have a tough campaign in 2024. Although, the Renault works team is working on a new structure to turn things around in the long run.

In case you missed it:

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