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Formula 1
Saudi Arabian GP
F1 Saudi Arabia GP Live Commentary and Updates - Race
Live updates from the Saudi Arabian GP at Jeddah
The Saudi Arabian GP follows on from a dramatic season-opener in Bahrain, where Charles Leclerc led a Ferrari 1-2 from team-mate Carlos Sainz Jr as Red Bull suffered a double retirement when both Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez suffered a vacuum issue within its fuel system.
The Saudi Arabian race has already been a dramatic weekend both on and off the track, with a missile attack on a nearby oil facility creating serious talks about the race being boycotted by the drivers on Friday night. After gaining sufficient assurances from the Saudi Arabian security officials, the race weekend has continued with Red Bull’s Perez taking his maiden F1 pole position.
Mick Schumacher will miss the Saudi Arabian GP after a heavy crash in qualifying which has damaged his Haas F1 car. Sebastian Vettel is also missing for Aston Martin due to COVID-19, with Nico Hulkenberg continuing in his role as super-sub.
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Sainz, meanwhile, has set a 1m33.181s on lap 26 to set the fastest lap, in his bid to close back in on Verstappen.
Hulkenberg loses another place, this time to Ricciardo, so is back to 12th place with Norris now right behind him.
Stopwatch
Verstappen responds with a 1m33.059s to close back in on Leclerc, but the leader is currently retaliating on this tour around the track. Sainz lost time due to a missed shift on lap 27.
And Norris duly gets by the Aston Martin driver with the aid of DRS into Turn 1 for 12th place. It can't be fun this for Hulkenberg on his very old hards.
Stopwatch
And indeed, it's a 1m32.711s for Leclerc - he's trading fastest laps with Verstappen as they fight for victory.
On lap 29 Gasly also gets by Hulkenberg, you guessed it with the aid of DRS at Turn 1, to take 13th place.
No further investigation for the Sainz/Perez safety car line incident - as Perez wisely gave up third place.
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"So for us this is about just trying to run as long as we can and hope for another safety car," Hulkenberg is told over team radio. One-stopper it is and some very difficult laps coming up.
Stopwatch
Having watched Verstappen chip away at his lead a little bit, Leclerc has set a 1m32.683s to open the gap up to 1.5s by the end of lap 32.
Bottas is sniffing for a way past Alonso for eighth place. The Finn is within DRS range but, so far, hasn't attempted a move. Both are also catching Magnussen ahead who is yet to pit.
Alonso is the one looking for a move now, sizing up Magnussen on the run to the final corner. With the DRS boost Alonso gets around the outside of Magnussen at Turn 1 to take seventh place.
The leading duo is still managing to match each other, both post 1m32.4s laps that time around, the 35th lap of the day. 15 laps remain.
Alonso has an issue! He gets overtaken by Magnussen at Turn 1 and is slow coming out of Turn 2.
Mechanical problem
Alonso's dash says 'cool the car' and he is limping around the track at 70mph. And now Ricciardo has come to a crawl!
Mechanical problem
Ricciardo has stopped at pit entry and he reports "no power" to make it into the pits. And now Bottas has retired from the race! It is all going on!
Pit stop
Magnussen and Hulkenberg pit with a safety car period threatening due to Ricciardo and Alonso stopped on track.
The pitlane entry is now closed - was that the case when Magnussen and Hulkenberg came in?
It is too late for Hamilton, who missed the time to pit before the pitlane was closed.
Ricciardo's McLaren is pushed into the pitlane by the marshals, who now rush back to retrieve Alonso's Alpine which stopped in the same part of the track.
Green flag
The track is clear - and we're racing once more.
Alonso's Alpine has been pushed behind the barriers at pit entry. Just 14 cars left in this race.
Hamilton duly pits, binning off his hard tyres for fresh mediums. That'll be a long drop down the order for the Mercedes driver, who comes out behind Magnussen.
Verstappen's right on Leclerc's tail now, he has a good run into Turn 1 but Leclerc manages to hold on! The Ferrari hasn't seemed to have fired up its tyres!
Magnussen has got ahead of Albon to claim 10th place, Hamilton is right behind the pair of them in 12th.
Verstappen gets the move done ahead of Turn 27, and takes the lead! Leclerc will have DRS, can he get him back? He does, diving past into Turn 1!
Leclerc AND Verstappen both get on the anchors for Turn 27, neither wanting to be ahead for the DRS zone! Leclerc gets on the throttle sooner and goes for it, holding the lead still! Great tactics at play.
Magnussen makes quick work of passing Stroll to take ninth on his fresh mediums, as Hamilton does the same to Albon to take 11th place. Those two will be on an almighty charge up the order over the final six laps.
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"Keep your head down, let us do our work here," Gianpiero Lambiase tells Verstappen, who's getting hot under the collar.
Strong defending from Stroll on the inside at Turn 2 to close the door on Hamilton. Can he hold him back for another five laps to keep the final points position?
Stroll can't keep Hamilton back, who is now up to 10th place and chasing after Magnussen again.
Leclerc has a slight snap of understeer into Turn 27, Verstappen gets a very good run with DRS, but Leclerc hangs on - albeit under a LOT of pressure.
And the lead is Verstappen's! He tees up the move perfectly into Turn 27 and sits right behind the Ferrari, drafting past Leclerc and takes the lead with four laps remaining!
Stopwatch
And with free air, Verstappen punches in a 1m31.779s - four tenths faster than Leclerc - to cement a very handy advantage.
Unless something wild happens, there won't be enough laps left for Magnussen and Hamilton to climb any higher than ninth and 10th respectively.
Does Leclerc have anything in his locker in this final three laps? He's not letting this go...
At the worst moment, there's a yellow flag at Turn 1, which meant Leclerc didn't have DRS! Verstappen was just half a second up the road, so hangs on to the lead.
Crash
Stroll and Albon have come together at Turn 1 which caused those yellow flags. Albon sticks it up the inside but the door gets shut and the pair clash. Albon has pulled to the side of the track and won't finish the race.
Stroll vs Albon will be investigated by the stewards after the race. Stroll has damage and has dropped to 13th and last place.
Leclerc has DRS as the final lap begins, but he's too far behind to make the move. He's running out of chances to get the lead back from Verstappen...
Checkered flag
Half a second! Max Verstappen wins the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, half a second ahead of Charles Leclerc!
By: autosport.com
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