Max Verstappen once again maintained a comfortable lead in the classification of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, distancing himself from the main competitors. Ollie Bearman, replacing Ferrari, came very close to a top 10 in his Formula 1 debut. Verstappen secured pole position with a lap time of 1m27.472s, leaving Lance Stroll and Charles Leclerc behind. The difference between the three cars was minimal, with only 0.055s separating them. Leclerc showed improvement after struggles in previous qualifying races, while Sergio Perez and Fernando Alonso also had great performances. The McLarens, Mercedes, and other drivers completed the top ten positions on the grid. Bearman’s impressive performance on his first day in an F1 car was overshadowed by a small mistake that prevented him from advancing to Q3. Despite the unexpected circumstances and the pressure of driving for Ferrari, Bearman showed his potential for a successful career in F1. Other notable performances came from Alex Albon, Nico Hulkenberg, and Daniel Ricciardo. The Alpines surpassed Logan Sargeant, but Zhou Guanyu faced challenges due to Sauber’s repair work. Valtteri Bottas will start in 16th position.
