Ice-cool Bearman shines in Saudi snooze - Saudi Arabian Grand Prix highlights

Max Verstappen dominates Saudi Arabian Grand Prix with ninth consecutive win, as rookie Oliver Bearman impresses in debut race. #F1 #VerstappenWins

Max Verstappen, the three-time world champion, continued his dominance by securing his ninth consecutive victory at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. This win marked Red Bull's back-to-back one-two finishes at the start of the 2024 season, with Verstappen finishing over 13 seconds ahead of his teammate Sergio Perez, even after the Mexican's penalty was applied. Charles Leclerc from Ferrari followed closely behind, a further five seconds adrift.

The top five was completed by Oscar Piastri and Fernando Alonso, while the standout performance came from teenage sensation Oliver Bearman, who captured seventh place in his Formula 1 debut with Ferrari. The GPFans team analyzed the main talking points from the race at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit.

Deputy Editor Dan Ripley highlighted the lackluster races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, emphasizing Red Bull's on-track dominance as a stark contrast to the drama off the track. The team's one-two finishes have become the norm, with their biggest rivals being themselves. The focus now shifts to Verstappen's future with the team and the impressive performance of Fernando Alonso.

Chief Editor Stuart Hodge praised Bearman's debut, where the 18-year-old outperformed the seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton. The soap opera surrounding Red Bull continues, but the racing element remains predictable, with Verstappen leading the charge for his fourth world drivers' championship.

Lead Researcher Shay Rogers noted the lack of excitement on track despite Bearman's impressive debut. Lance Stroll's continued mistakes raised questions about his future at Aston Martin, while Logan Sargeant was predicted to challenge Red Bull by the end of the season.

US Editor Chris Deeley summarized the race, highlighting Red Bull's dominance, Stroll's struggles, and Hamilton's frustration. Despite the lack of excitement, Bearman's performance stood out as a positive story.

F1 Journalists Sam Cook and Tyler Rowlinson commended Bearman's debut and Verstappen's unmatched performance. While Mercedes and McLaren showed promise, Red Bull's dominance seemed insurmountable. The season's predictability raised concerns about the competitiveness of the championship but left room for surprises in future races.