The Dutchman, the two-time reigning world champion, 15th on the starting grid, made a fantastic comeback to quickly settle into second position and allow Red Bull to achieve a double, two weeks after that of Bahrain. This season could well turn to hegemony.
Starting from pole position, Sergio Pérez, surprised at the first corner by the Spaniard Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin), quickly took control to never let go.
As for Alonso, after having long believed in a second podium in two races, he had to settle for fourth place, after receiving two penalties.
"The team did an incredible job. We managed all our mechanical problems. The important thing is to have secured this double today," Pérez said after the race.
He took the fifth victory of his career, the fourth with Red Bull, and came within one point of Verstappen in the world championship. The latter achieved in extremis the fastest lap in the race, which allows him to take an additional point, the one that allows him to stay ahead of the Mexican in the drivers' standings.
The Dutchman, who started only 15th on the grid after experiencing a transmission problem in the second part of qualifying (Q2) on Saturday, quickly overtook his competitors one by one and grabbed second place midway through the race by easily getting rid of Alonso. But he couldn't get his teammate.
Behind Red Bull, Mercedes...
Red Bull has therefore confirmed on the fast street circuit of Jeddah its superiority already observed on the Bahrain track during pre-season testing and then in the first race of the season. In the constructors' standings, the Austrian team, reigning world champions, has already opened a big gap of 49 points with its first pursuers, Aston Martin and Mercedes.
Dutchman Max Verstappen, second in the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, Sunday in Jeddah © Ben Stansall / AFP
Behind Red Bull, Mercedes is the big winner of the day, with the third and fifth places of the British George Russell and Lewis Hamilton, just ahead of the two Ferraris of the Spaniard Carlos Sainz and the Monegasque Charles Leclerc.
The latter eventually finished seventh after starting from twelfth due to a penalty imposed after replacing an electronic component at the Bahrain Grand Prix, during which he had to retire. Leclerc has therefore unlocked his counter by scoring his first six points, but he is already relegated to 37 and 38 lengths respectively of Pérez and Verstappen.
On the French side, the two Alpines of Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly entered the points, with eighth and ninth places, while the Dane Kevin Magnussen (Haas) completed the Top 10 after overtaking the Japanese Yuki Tsunoda (AlphaTauri) at the very end of the race.
© 2023 AFP