Formula 1 – Max Verstappen in Saudi Arabia: “His biggest opponent was ultimately the safety car”

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Max Verstappen in Saudi Arabia

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Rula Rouhana / REUTERS

Max Verstappen wins the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in a Red Bull.

Despite the unrest in the team, he celebrated his second victory in the second Formula 1 race of the season ahead of Sergio Pérez in the Austrian racing team's second car.

The international press writes:

Great Britain:

»The Guardian«:

»Max Verstappen's future at Red Bull may be in question after unrest within the team overshadowed another race, but his value as a driver is far from it, as he demonstrated with an absolutely commanding victory at the Grand Prix of Saudi Arabia has shown.

While Machiavellian machinations unsettled the team around him, Verstappen provided a salutary reminder that he may be the most powerful negotiating tool in the power struggle that threatens to tear the team apart.

»The Sun«:

»Max Verstappen takes his second win of the season, while teammate Sergio Pérez comes second on another weekend where the noise outside the track was gigantic.«

»Daily Mail«:

»There have only been two races of the 2024 Formula 1 season and it already looks like it will be hard for anyone to stop Max Verstappen on his way to winning the fourth world title in a row win.

(...) But perhaps the real story of this race was Oliver Bearman's performance in his debut at the age of 18 in a Ferrari, after he had to replace Carlos Sainz at the last minute.

»The Mirror«:

»Max Verstappen wins the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix after winning Red Bull's power struggle.«

France:

»L'Équipe«:

»The three-time world champion Max Verstappen dominated the qualification on Friday and delivered another concert at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix on the circuit in Jeddah.

Less oppressive than Bahrain, certainly, but with the same ease.

»Le Parisien«:

»All the Saudi fans we met before the race in Jeddah only had one name on their lips when it came to predicting the winner: Max Verstappen.

And they were right, without much surprise.

(..) His biggest opponent was ultimately the safety car on the night of Jeddah.«

Spain:

»As«:

»The champion sweeps unopposed over the Jeddah Corniche in front of Pérez and Leclerc.

(..) This RB20 shakes the competition with a force that has never been seen in modern Formula 1.«

“Mundo desportivo”:

“Verstappen and Red Bull, a different league.”

"Sport":

"The Formula 1 World Championship is on the way to becoming an 'ode' to Max Verstappen and Red Bull."

Switzerland:

»Tagesanzeiger«:

»Verstappen wins – but the affair surrounding his boss is becoming more and more absurd.

Verstappen's second triumph comes at a time that could hardly be more turbulent for his employer Red Bull. The case surrounding team boss Christian Horner never ends."

ara/dpa