Verstappen Wins Again, But Debutant Steals The Saudi Headlines
Formula 1 has unfortunately been in the headlines for all of the wrong reasons in more recent weeks, but at the weekend fans could again enjoy on grid motorsport news with the 2024 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix taking place.
There were obviously two main stories that came out of the race, reigning three time World Drivers' Championship Champion, Belgian born Dutchman Max Verstappen took another very comfortable victory for Red Bull, and the 26 year old racing talent made it back to back victories in 2024, making it his ninth consecutive win going back to September of last year. Team mate Sergio Perez made it a one two to further prove Red Bull's superiority in the last few years and Formula 1 betting odds would more than expect that to continue at this moment in time.
Whilst that had largely been the expected outcome again for Verstappen, and his race team, another piece of unexpected news stole many of the headlines. Ferrari's Carlos Sainz had to undergo an appendectomy extremely late on during their preparations for the race, and effectively with only a few hours to go the Spaniard found himself replaced by British novice, Oliver Bearman.
The 18 year old basically unknown quantity became the youngest British driver in F1 history, and the third youngest ever in Formula 1 history.
Driving with a very unexpected maturity, particularly given the very late nature of his promotion, he admirably fought of challenges from McLaren's Lando Norris and Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton as they tried to fight back for a better finishing grid position after late pit stops for late tyre changes.
Bearman actually finished the Saudi Grand Prix with points for holding on and finishing in seventh place on what was, remember, his debut.
With news that seven time World Drivers' Championship Champion, Lewis Hamilton, would soon be making the switch to Ferrari coming out the other week, there is a small sense of irony that he was one of the first, if not the first, to physically congratulate Bearman on his achievement on the day. A further twist being reports that Verstappen's agents are now in tentative talks with Mercedes given the power struggle that seems to be going on within Red Bull.
After being drafted in, the youngster had started in eleventh place, and had dropped to 12th following the early safety car deployment following the crash by Aston Martin's Lance Stroll on lap six. Later on, whilst the far more experienced Hamilton and Norris did quite easily take chunks out of Bearman's time advantage, as their fresh tyres degraded, neither could pass him and they were left battling each other for eighth spot.
In his rise to seventh spot, passing Zhou Gunayu's Sauber, and Nico Hulkenberg's Haas will definitely go down as two debut day highlights for the young lad, and such was his accomplished performance, he has more than stamped his name on the minds of many who now consider him a clear star for the future.
He did not need to be named 'driver of the day' in the fans' vote for that to be confirmed.
Team mate Charles Leclerc echoed those sentiments, stating that he had 'done an incredible job' and pointing out that his P3 pace was straight, he was good in qualifying and he only missed Q3 by a 'little'. Not least that 'to finish seventh in your first race in F1 in a new car is incredibly impressive. Everyone has noticed how talented he is, and it is just a matter of time before he is in F1.'
It should surely only be a matter of time before he occupies a second seat in his own right, but having demonstrated his potential, he naturally has lots of development and learning left to do, so he needs to focus and dig in further now having had a taste of the sport for real, and everyone else would be wise to temper their own expectations of him for another few years as he adjusts to making that next step up for real.
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