The DRS tactics that gave Verstappen Saudi Arabian GP victory

Formula 1’s newest rivalry may be brewing courtesy of Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen after their latest wheel-to-wheel fight for victory in Saudi Arabia on Sunday.

After losing out in Bahrain one week earlier, Verstappen managed to make it 1-1 by beating Leclerc to victory in Jeddah courtesy of an overtaking move with four laps remaining.

It was a pass many laps in the planning for Verstappen, who had seen his initial attempt at the final corner backfire as it gave Leclerc DRS for the main straight, allowing the Ferrari driver to get back ahead on the long run to Turn 1.

The two drivers played cat and mouse for a few laps before Verstappen finally made it stick, taking advantage of Leclerc’s rear tyre struggles to grab the lead and eventually hold on by half a second at the chequered flag.

In the latest edition of our Paddock Packdown series, we take a look at the DRS tactics Verstappen and Leclerc employed in their fight for victory, and whether it proved DRS can actually be a good thing for F1.

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