Red Bull driver Max Verstappen praised a “fantastic” Saudi Arabian GP weekend after winning the race on Saturday.
Verstappen finished first ahead of teammate Sergio Perez and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc. He had also claimed his first pole position around the Jeddah Corniche Circuit on Friday, something he missed out on the last three editions.
After his 56th victory, Verstappen said it was “a fantastic weekend for the team and myself.”
“The last stint was a bit longer than we would’ve liked but with the safety car, you had to go for it.
“So, the last few laps, with the back markers and cold tyres, it was a bit slippery. We had good pace all around so we could manage it quite well. You don’t want to do such a long stint on that tire [compound], but we had to.
“With the high speed corners, if the tire falls out of the [pit] window a little bit, it makes it a bit more tricky.”
Third-placed Leclerc said that the Saudi Arabian track was tough for the drivers’ neck, and when asked, Verstappen agreed.
“It’s one of the most physical ones,” he said. “Early in the season, anti-clockwise, a lot of G [force] throughout the lap.”
