It was another dominant weekend for Red Bull, as the reigning Formula 1 world champions ended the weekend in the parched oasis with a one-two finish.
Red Bull’s Verstappen goes two for two in the young season; no surprises here. The Formula 1 2024 betting odds suggested a strong showing from the Flying Dutchman, and that’s exactly what Mad Max did. With his win last weekend, Verstappen has now claimed his 100th podium in Formula 1, the youngest ever to do so.
Verstappen’s running mate, Sergio Perez, also had a strong race, finishing second, and was also able to fend off the charging Ferrari to secure a Red Bull one-two.
The race week wasn’t just all Red Bull, as tonnes of other notable Formula 1 2024 news stories transpired, and in case you missed them, SBOTOP has got you covered with the latest updates from the most electrifying motorsport in the world.
Oliver Bearman shines in debut
Carlos Sainz clinched his first podium of the season in Bahrain, showing doubters that despite his murky future with Ferrari, he is still one of the best drivers on the grid. The Spaniard looked like he was poised for a strong season and would continue to put up competitive results as the season progressed, but unfortunately, Sainz was abruptly stopped in his tracks after being diagnosed with appendicitis.
The Spaniard withdrew ahead of Free Practice three and headed to the operating room to get surgery. The 29-year-old was replaced by 18-year-old Oliver Bearman. The young Ollie had no prior seat time in a Formula 1 race prior to his sudden call-up to replace Sainz, but to everyone’s surprise, the F2 star held his own against the best drivers in the world.
Starting in 11th place, Bearman came out of the gates hot, putting up an aggressive style of driving from the very first lap of the race. The Ferrari call-up looked like a seasoned veteran and traversed from 11th all the way to seventh place.
By finishing in seventh place, Bearman didn’t just garner six points; he garnered the respect of all the drivers on the paddock as well. The young Brit was welcomed by his hero, Lewis Hamilton, after the race, and the two drivers shared a special moment.
“I grew up watching these guys fighting and it was nice to share the track with them,” Bearman said. “It was a pleasure to have their recognition.” Bearman stated.
Piastri comes big for McLaren
Another young gun showed his chest last weekend, as Oscar Piastri came big for McLaren as the 22-year-old Aussie finished in fourth place, garnering 12 points to boot. Piastri’s strong performance was pivotal for the Papayas, given that their No. 1 driver, Lando Norris, had a rough race and finished eighth despite dodging a jump start penalty.
McLaren fans will be delighted with the fact that Oscar Piastri will come into his home race in Melbourne next week after a strong showing in Saudi. Expect spirited drives from the McLaren drivers in the Australian Grand Prix, where Piastri will have the home advantage, while Norris will be keen on avenging his poor performance in Saudi Arabia.
Back-to-back podiums for Ferrari
Most of the racing world predicted that Ferrari would be Red Bull’s greatest competitors heading into the season, and based on the first two races of the campaign, that forecast could be true. In the first two races of the season, the podium has only seen two teams: Red Bull and Ferrari.
Charles Leclerc came into the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix with a chip on his shoulders after Carlos Sainz beat him to the podium in Bahrain.
Leclerc had a sense of urgency to prove that Ferrari’s choice to keep him was not a decision they’d regret. And to his credit, he immediately proved the doubters wrong and finished third in Saudi Arabia.
Thanks to his podium finish in Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, Leclerc is now third in the drivers’ standings with 28 points, trailing Red Bull’s Sergio Perez by eight points and Verstappen by 23. With Sainz’s status for the Australian Grand Prix still up in the air, Leclerc will have another opportunity to not just close the gap to Perez but also extend his lead over his teammate.
Hamilton struggles with the W15
The seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton is evidently struggling with the W15. Hamilton finished seventh in Bahrain and then ninth in Saudi Arabia. Not the results both Hamilton and Mercedes were hoping for, as they’re striving to get past Ferrari and compete for the championship this season.
Hamilton has been critical of the W15 since the off-season. Mercedes were keen on delivering their beloved veteran with a car tailor-knit to his standards entering the 2024 season, but it seems like Hamilton is struggling as much with the W15 as he was with the W13 and W14.
“Yes, it was a difficult day. Just lacking confidence in the rear of the car. In the setup, we did some work through session to session. But there was an underlying issue with the rear end that I was struggling with, so I had a couple of really big moments out there. In these high-speed areas, you need to have full faith in the rear of the car, and I just don’t got that yet,” Hamilton stated on F1TV.
His teammate, George Russell, on the other hand, is finding more success with the W15 to start the season. Russell finished ahead of Hamilton in both Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. The 26-year-old has yet to garner a podium finish this season, but he’s currently fourth in the drivers’ standings with 18 points, 10 points behind Ferrari’s Leclerc.
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