Verstappen and Red Bull’s Tactical Mastery Denies Leclerc’s Second Win

The 2022 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix delivered a stark demonstration of the inherent complexities and captivating contrasts within modern Formula 1. On one hand, spectators were treated to an electrifying display of wheel-to-wheel combat, showcasing the pinnacle of motorsport rivalry between two of the sport’s most formidable talents. Yet, off the track, the weekend was marred by a deeply unsettling atmosphere, where the commercial ambitions driving Formula 1’s global expansion collided head-on with undeniable political realities.

The profound ethical questions raised and intensified during this unsettling weekend are destined to linger long after the final chequered flag has fallen. Nevertheless, the coveted trophies and championship points, the primary reasons F1’s elite competitors had converged upon the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, were ultimately awarded as planned – a resolution that, just two days prior, had seemed anything but certain.

Barely 112 days after a tumultuous inaugural Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, the second installment of Formula 1’s newest street race circuit saw a first-time pole-winner, Sergio Perez, leading the restricted field of 18 starters onto the formation lap. In a quiet corner of the paddock, Mick Schumacher and Yuki Tsunoda observed their colleagues lining up on the grid without them, both having been prevented from participating for vastly different and equally unfortunate reasons.

As the lights went out and the race commenced, Perez masterfully converted his maiden pole position into a clean holeshot, diving into Turn One with authority. The formidable Ferrari duo of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz Jnr slotted in behind him, eager to challenge the Red Bull’s early advantage. However, as Sainz tucked in closely behind his teammate entering the treacherous Turn Two, Max Verstappen seized the opportunity presented by the generous room on the outside. With a bold maneuver, he swept around his former Toro Rosso teammate, flawlessly claiming third place in what was a critical early move. Sainz later recounted the incident, explaining, “I was squeezed a bit in between Checo and Charles, and I had to lift. This gave Max the opportunity to go on the inside and pass me outside of Turn Two with a better run.”

Pirelli had introduced their C4 compound as an optional tyre for the first time that year, offering teams a softer alternative. However, after extensive analysis during qualifying, teams unanimously concluded that this compound offered no significant advantage or strategic utility for the demanding Jeddah Corniche Circuit. Consequently, the race adopted an almost old-school character, with teams primarily focusing on just two compounds – the medium and hard tyres – throughout the gruelling 50-lap distance. Only a handful of drivers among the 18 starters – namely Kevin Magnussen, Lewis Hamilton, and Nico Hulkenberg – strategically opted to begin their race on the more durable hard tyres, betting on a longer first stint, while the majority chose the mediums.

At the forefront of the pack, Sergio Perez, a driver who has historically seldom led the early phases of a Grand Prix, radiated confidence. He steadily began to carve out a comfortable lead, extending the gap to Charles Leclerc’s pursuing Ferrari to approximately 2.5 seconds. Inside his Red Bull cockpit, he calmly relayed to his race engineer, Hugh Bird, that his tyre degradation felt “steady,” indicating optimal pace management and a strong initial performance on the medium compound.

Recognizing the substantial longevity of the hard tyres, which would likely be the preferred choice for the second stint, Ferrari’s strategists meticulously began to plot their offensive. As the leaders approached the fast, sweeping kink of Turn 22 on Lap 15, the Italian team made their decisive call. “Box to overtake, box to overtake,” Leclerc was instructed, and in a flurry of synchronized motion, a team of red-clad mechanics flooded out from the Ferrari garage, ready for a rapid pit stop.

Just as the two front-runners were navigating Turn 26, Ferrari’s crucial message was broadcast over the world feed television, adding to the unfolding drama. Mere seconds later, as Perez braced for the final corner, Red Bull instantly reacted to their rival’s aggressive strategy. “Box, Checo, box,” came the urgent instruction, prompting the race leader to dive into the pit lane, seemingly in a reactive move to cover Leclerc. However, Ferrari had an immediate counter-strategy. “Stay out! Stay out!” they updated their driver, urging Leclerc to “Push for the overcut,” aiming to exploit track position and fresher tyres later on.

Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter andgo ad-free

Despite Ferrari’s successful gambit in baiting Red Bull into giving Perez clear air, the Red Bull team and Perez himself were confident that their earlier pit stop would grant them the advantage of warmer tyres by the time Leclerc eventually pitted. This calculation, however, was spectacularly shattered. The race narrative took an unexpected turn when Nicholas Latifi’s Williams veered off track and dramatically impacted the barrier at the exit of the final corner, triggering an immediate safety intervention.

The deployment of the Virtual Safety Car (VSC) as Leclerc approached the crash site at Turn 27 could not have been more fortuitously timed for Ferrari. Leclerc was able to effortlessly roll into his pit box, take on a fresh set of hard tyres – a compound expected to last him to the end of the race – and crucially, emerge back onto the track with only the red Mercedes AMG Safety Car directly ahead of him. This strategic stroke of luck allowed him to maintain his track position without losing significant time, a stark contrast to Perez’s earlier misfortune.

Max Verstappen, having not pitted, inherited second place as the chaos unfolded. Behind him, the luckless Sergio Perez emerged from the pit lane side-by-side with Carlos Sainz. While the Red Bull driver crossed the white Safety Car line at pit exit a fractionally behind the Ferrari, he mistakenly assumed he held third place ahead of Sainz, leading to a later rectification.

Magnussen and Hamilton, having started on the durable hard tyres and unwilling to attempt to complete the remainder of the race on mediums from that point, wisely opted to stay out on track. Their decision proved astute, as they each gained three crucial positions while those ahead entered the pits. With this round of stops and the safety car period, all 17 remaining runners were now on hard tyres, albeit of varying ages and wear, setting the stage for a compelling second half of the race.

“We were unlucky there,” Perez’s race engineer, Hugh Bird, commiserated with his driver over the radio. “Leclerc and Max have got the jump on us.” A glum Perez could only respond, “Yeah, copy,” the former race leader grappling with the cruel twist of fate that had cost him his hard-earned advantage.

Once the scattered shards of Nicholas Latifi’s Williams were painstakingly cleared from the track, the race was poised to resume at the end of Lap 20. What followed was effectively a thrilling 30-lap sprint, a high-stakes showdown for the four leading contenders and their eager competitors behind. Leclerc, now the leader, expertly bided his time, waiting until he was midway through the final hairpin to decisively stamp on the throttle, resuming the race with a surge of acceleration. Moments later, in a demonstration of fair play and to avoid any penalty from the stewards, Perez dutifully handed third place back to Sainz on the run to Turn Four. However, Sainz was visibly unimpressed that this position swap had not been orchestrated prior to the restart, believing he had been unjustly disadvantaged.

With the race now in full swing, it was Charles Leclerc’s turn to be acutely aware of the formidable presence in his mirrors – specifically, Max Verstappen, who proved relentless. Over the subsequent 14 laps, Verstappen never allowed the Ferrari’s lead to extend beyond a slender 1.7 seconds, constantly applying pressure and keeping the Monegasque driver on edge.

Despite the relatively mild evening temperatures enveloping the Jeddah Corniche Circuit, a sudden and worrisome warning flashed across Fernando Alonso’s steering wheel dashboard. This occurred on Lap 35, as the seasoned Spaniard, who had spent the early phase of the race locked in a spirited battle with his teammate, Esteban Ocon, found himself fighting with Magnussen’s Haas. “Cool the car message,” he reported urgently to the Alpine pit wall. “No power.” His race was suddenly in jeopardy.

As Alpine’s engineers frantically relayed various instructions, desperately attempting to troubleshoot and rectify Alonso’s car ailment, the field continued to flash by him through the high-speed turns. A wave of panic then swept through the McLaren pit wall as well, when Daniel Ricciardo, who was running in ninth place, abruptly began to slow. His car lost drive after harshly crunching down the gears under braking for the final corner, an all too familiar and frustrating sight for the Woking-based team. Ricciardo valiantly attempted to limp back to the pit lane, but his McLaren came to an ignominious standstill mere metres from the white line marking the start of pit entry. The Virtual Safety Car was swiftly deployed, and race control took the extraordinary step of closing the pit entry to facilitate the safe recovery of Ricciardo’s stricken McLaren. However, not before Kevin Magnussen and Haas had capitalised on the VSC period to pit and finally switch from their hard tyres to the mediums, gaining a crucial advantage. Mercedes had attempted to execute the same strategic move with Hamilton, but despite receiving the instruction to pit before the final corner, Hamilton appeared to miss his opportunity and was regrettably forced to remain out on-track until both Ricciardo’s and Alonso’s cars were eventually cleared, denying him a potentially advantageous free stop.

When the race dramatically resumed at the beginning of Lap 41, Charles Leclerc glanced nervously in his mirrors to see Max Verstappen barely a second behind him, a menacing presence. Over the ensuing nine laps, the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix would transform into a direct, no-holds-barred fight between these two prodigious talents, both now running on tyres of an equal age. However, despite both drivers having been virtually inseparable on the timing screens throughout the entire weekend, there was a crucial and decisive difference in how the Red Bull and the Ferrari had been meticulously set up for the race. “It was very difficult because we had two cars that were in a very different place,” Leclerc elaborated after the race. “I was very strong in the first sector, in all the corners, and basically much less strong in the straights. So it was very, very tricky.”

That significant top speed advantage for the Red Bull was glaringly evident in how rapidly Verstappen was able to gain on the leader down the main pit straight the very first time the green flag waved after the restart. Masterfully utilising the new 2022 aerodynamic regulations to his benefit, Verstappen consistently managed to stay within a critical second of Leclerc throughout the entire lap. Yet, as they approached the final corner, the Ferrari driver shrewdly backed off – a tactic he had successfully employed in Bahrain – deliberately allowing Verstappen to cross the DRS detection line first. This strategic gamble aimed to ensure Leclerc could then regain the DRS advantage himself and re-pass the Red Bull back down the straight. “I basically knew that if I was leaving Max with a DRS behind for the main straight, I will basically be overtaken very easily,” Leclerc explained his reasoning. “On the first lap, I braked very early and I got the DRS and managed to overtake back on the run to Turn One.”

The second time around, however, Verstappen, a quick study, was wise to the Ferrari driver’s ingenious tactics. The pair engaged in an almost comedic dance, awkwardly slowing to a near crawl in a tense stand-off, each desperately trying to avoid being the first to cross the DRS detection line and thus grant their rival the crucial overtake advantage. It was a fascinating display of strategic brinkmanship at its finest.

Eventually, at the conclusion of Lap 46, with just four nerve-wracking tours of the circuit remaining, Verstappen executed his approach with flawless precision. He swept by the Ferrari just as they crossed the timing line, decisively seizing the lead and expertly defending through the opening two corners. Leclerc, ever the fighter, battled back ferociously, determined to stay in touch with the Red Bull. However, a yellow flag incident at Turn One, triggered after Alexander Albon made contact with Lance Stroll, crucially compromised Leclerc’s last-ditch opportunity to launch a daring lunge into the corner, effectively sealing his fate. Verstappen held firm over the final two laps, successfully fending off the relentless Ferrari challenge to take the chequered flag for his first triumphant win of the season by an incredibly narrow margin of just half a second, at the climax of what had been a true sprint finish for the two protagonists.

“Charles really played it smart in the last corner,” a relieved Verstappen commented after securing his victory, “so it was not easy for me to actually get by. Once I was ahead, it was really like four laps flat-out trying to stay ahead because Charles was consistently in my DRS. So yeah, it was quite tough out there.”

Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter andgo ad-free

Leclerc, despite losing the top spot, remained the championship leader and could accept being narrowly beaten on this particular day during the nascent stages of the season. “It’s obviously disappointing to lose the win so late in the race but it was a fun fight,” he reflected with maturity. “We’ll try again next race.” Sainz had to ultimately settle for third place, but was arguably more content with his performance in Jeddah than his second-place finish in Bahrain the week prior, which he felt less satisfied with. Perez, having seen a potential victory slip through his fingers due to the ill-timed Safety Car, was magnanimous in his comments, expressing happiness for his teammate and the team after a frustrating scoreless opening round. “I’m very happy for Max and the team after the disappointment we had last weekend,” said Perez, showcasing commendable team spirit. “To get those results is really nice.”

George Russell, demonstrating consistent performance, achieved what appeared to be the absolute best possible on-merit result available for Mercedes, securing a solid fifth place. Esteban Ocon, having finished seventh in Bahrain, went one better in Jeddah, claiming a commendable sixth position for Alpine. Lando Norris, in a much-needed morale boost for McLaren, clawed his car to a seventh-place finish, securing the team’s first crucial points of the season. Pierre Gasly delivered a heroic drive, battling not only Kevin Magnussen’s Haas but also severe abdominal pain in the final 15 laps to claim a remarkable eighth place. Lewis Hamilton, after a lowly 15th place start due to a challenging qualifying session, managed to salvage the final point in tenth, several positions further back than his usual formidable standards.

As the drivers completed their cool-down laps and cruised back to the pit lane, a spectacular fireworks display illuminated the night sky over the Red Sea coastline. These celebratory pyrotechnics were intended to commemorate a thrilling conclusion to the second race of the season. Yet, they served more as an eerie, almost unsettling bookend to a weekend in which a very different kind of explosion had dramatically transformed the skyline on Friday, casting a long shadow over the glamour of the sport.

Jeddah’s second Grand Prix undeniably succeeded in providing an enthralling, action-packed contest for viewers to enjoy, offering further compelling evidence that the remaining 21 rounds of the season could be equally riveting and unpredictable. There was also a palpable sense of relief that the race itself saw no further serious incidents, particularly after a weekend already marked by two brutal crashes at Turn 10 that ruled one F1 and one F2 driver out of competition (referencing Mick Schumacher and an F2 driver like Roy Nissany or Cem Bolukbasi from broader context of the weekend). However, beyond the sheer spectacle of the competition on track, the severity of the accidents endured by drivers over the weekend, coupled with the grave danger of a different, unsettling kind witnessed by the paddock on Friday, will undoubtedly leave Formula 1 grappling with a series of very uncomfortable questions about its responsibilities and future direction, long after the last team member has finally departed from Saudi Arabia.

Become a RaceFans Supporter

RaceFans is powered by the generous support of its dedicated readers. By contributing just £1 per month or £12 per year (or the equivalent in your local currency), you can directly help cover the essential costs of creating, hosting, and continuously developing RaceFans, both today and into the future. Your support is invaluable.

Become a RaceFans Supporter today and enjoy the site completely ad-free, experiencing content without interruption. Sign up or discover more about the benefits via the links provided below:

• Become a RaceFans Supporter
• RaceFans Supporter FAQ