Perez wins Saudi Arabian GP, Alonso's podium reinstated in dramatic turn of events

Red Bull Racing's Sergio Perez claimed victory in a thrilling Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, fending off a late charge from teammate Max Verstappen, who finished just six seconds behind.

The Mexican driver demonstrated his exceptional skill on street circuits, securing his first win of the season.

The race began with a dramatic start, as Fernando Alonso momentarily stole the lead from Perez.  

However, by Lap 4, Perez had regained his position at the front and maintained it throughout the race, despite the constant presence of his teammate in his rearview mirror.

"It turned out to be tougher than I expected," Perez told Sky Sports in his post-race interview.

"The team did a fantastic job. We had a lot of mechanical issues, and the guys stayed on top of that. We will keep pushing hard. And the most important thing is that we have the fastest car."

Reigning World Champion Verstappen experienced reliability issues before the race, with his RB19 fitted with a Bahrain driveshaft after a failure in qualifying.

The Dutch driver started from 15th on the grid but swiftly climbed the order, eventually securing the fastest lap on the final lap of the race.

Fernando Alonso Penalty Controversy

Alonso initially celebrated his third-place finish, marking the 100th podium of his illustrious career, with great enthusiasm.

After the race the Spaniard was demoted to fourth place, as the stewards handed him a 10-second penalty.

The Stewards determined that Aston Martin had started working on his car too early while serving a previous time penalty.

"It doesn't hurt much, to be honest." Alonso said. "I was on the podium, I did the pictures, did the trophy, celebrated with the champagne and yeah, now I have apparently three points less – I don't have 15, I have 12."

The two-time World Champion directed his frustration towards the FIA, stating, "I think it is more a poor show from the FIA today, more than disappointment from ourselves. You cannot apply a penalty 25 laps after the pit-stop."

However, in a remarkable turn of events, Fernando Alonso's podium finish at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix was reinstated after Aston Martin successfully appealed his penalty.

Initially demoted to fourth place, the stewards had judged that Alonso's earlier penalty for being out of position at the race start was not correctly served.

Aston Martin requested a right of review, presenting new evidence that challenged the original decision.

The stewards found the evidence "significant and relevant," and subsequently overturned the penalty. As a result, Aston Martin reclaimed second place in the Constructors' Championship.

The FIA plans to address the matter of defining 'working on the car' at the next Sporting Advisory Committee meeting on Thursday, 23rd March, with a clarification to be issued before the 2023 FIA Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix.

Mercedes Third-Fastest Team in Saudi Arabia

Mercedes faced a challenging weekend at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, finding themselves as the third-fastest team on the track behind Red Bull and Aston Martin.

George Russell managed to secure a fourth-place finish, while Lewis Hamilton ended up in fifth position. The Silver Arrows' performance in Jeddah showed that they have work to do to close the gap to the frontrunners.

Hamilton's race was particularly difficult during the initial stages, as he was overtaken by both Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen.

However, the seven-time world champion made a comeback during the second half of the race, finding better pace on the medium tires.

Hamilton managed to pass Carlos Sainz and finished just behind his teammate, George Russell.

Ferrari in No Man's Land

The Saudi Arabian Grand Prix saw a mixed performance for the Ferrari team, with Leclerc showcasing his skills during the first part of the race. Starting from 12th, Leclerc impressively climbed to P5 before the safety car was deployed.

However, his progress was halted as he was overtaken by Hamilton while exiting the pit lane.

From then on, Leclerc found himself stuck behind his teammate Sainz, and both Ferraris ultimately finished behind the Mercedes duo of Russell and Hamilton.

Sunday's race highlighted another frustrating day for the Scuderia, as Sainz and Leclerc finished a somewhat uneventful race

The result means Verstappen retains the lead in the Drivers' Championship by a single point over teammate Perez, with Alonso in third. Red Bull's one-two finish further cements their position at the top of the Constructors' standings.

Drivers Standings after the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix

Teams Standings after the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix