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Formula 1 Saudi Arabian GP

F1 Saudi Arabian GP Live Commentary and Updates – Race

Minute-by-minute updates for the 2023 Formula 1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix

Sergio Perez, Red Bull Racing RB19, Pierre Gasly, Alpine A523, Alex Albon, Williams FW45, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB19, practice their start procedures at the end of FP2

After Max Verstappen dominated practice, a driveshaft failure on his Red Bull dumped him out of Q2 in qualifying and means he starts the race in Jeddah from 15th place.

Team-mate Sergio Perez starts on pole, beating Charles Leclerc to top spot in qualifying, who in turn also drops down the starting order due to a 10-place grid penalty for an electrical package change following his Bahrain retirement.

Leclerc’s penalty elevates Fernando Alonso on to the front row for Aston Martin, with George Russell in third place for Mercedes.

The Saudi Arabian GP starts at 5:00pm GMT.

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The formation lap is under way, all drivers are away cleanly as the excitement builds.
Hamilton on the hards to start seems a bold strategy, Cotton, let's see if it pays off.
Tyres! Hamilton and Sargeant start on hards, Leclerc and Norris pick the softs and everyone else is on the mediums.
The grid is being cleared, Russell has done his moody pose in the F1 intro VT, so here we go. 50 laps of the Jeddah street circuit to decide a winner of the Saudi Arabian GP.
Before the start of the serious business, I'd like to take a moment to wish all mothers, step-mothers and mother figures a wonderful Mother's Day. Claire, if you are reading this, thanks for everything.
The drivers are on their way to the cars, so this is your 10-minute warning for the start of the Saudi Arabian GP. Just enough time to grab a cuppa.
The drivers line-up in a V formation at the front of the grid for the Saudi Arabian national anthem.
For those interested in the celeb-a-spot game, Will Smith has turned up looking crisp, rocking the great and the good on the grid.
Given Verstappen went from 14th to 1st in 12 laps at Spa last year, and in Russia in 2021 he went from 20th to 2nd by the end of the race, you'd be brave to bet against the world champion.
So, the big question is can Verstappen win from 15th on the grid? Most of his F1 rivals think he will definitely be in the podium fight at the very least...

Full story: https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/verstappen-can-still-win-saudi-arabian-gp-from-15th-say-rivals/10445794/
The usual procedure of practice starts and systems checks on the laps to the grid are completed without too much fuss, as the cars roll up to the back of the grid ready to be wheeled to their starting slots.
Lights green
The pitlane is open and the 20 drivers are making their way to the starting grid.
It means the picture on the front row is a little different to many would have predicted. Perez took his second F1 pole, 12 months on from his first which also came at this track, and he's joined at the front by a certain Fernando Alonso.
Verstappen isn't the only one starting out of position, as Leclerc prepares to bolt from 12th due to his 10-place grid drop due to his electrical glitch in Bahrain. That'll be an early subplot to watch out for.
After all the drama on Saturday, today's race is set up very well. Verstappen had been dominant all weekend but when his driveshaft failed in Q2 it condemned him to 15th on the grid. Can he fight back and potentially win from that far back?
Hello one and all! Who fancies a Sunday night showdown?

By: Autosport Staff

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