Charles Leclerc was delighted after the Saudi GP, despite losing the victory to Max Verstappen.
Charles Leclerc rejoiced in the race, even though he lost the win. AOP
There was a fierce battle over the victory of the Saudi GP on Sunday. Max Verstappen finally took the win and Charles Leclerc was another.
After the competition, a great sports spirit was seen. Leclerc congratulated the Red Bull driver by showing him a thumbs up from his car. Verstappen did the same after noticing the gesture of his rival.
Leclerc praised the tight twist after the race.
– It wasn’t enough today, but my God, I really enjoyed this race. Hard but fair competition. Every competition should be like this, he said in an interview.
The duo giggled at the moment of the decision. Leclerc broke the lock when there were less than ten laps left in the race. At the same time, he let Verstappen bypass himself.
The Ferrari driver was thus able to open its rear wing on the DRS straight. It knew the transition back to the top.
The duo took turns trying to feed each other first before the DRS line. However, Verstappen got past lap 46.
Leclerc could no longer rise to the top.
– I’ve always respected Max, but especially after a race like this. We’re on the street track and we’re pushing the boundaries maybe more than ever before. We took risks in the end. I can’t be disappointed.
The story continues after the picture.
Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen fought a fierce but fair battle for first place. AOP
Verstappen said after the race that he knew it was good to catch up with a competitor before the DRS straight.
– When you reach the car in half a second, you get a good output. It made driving the last bend more difficult compared to last year.
– It wasn’t easy to be smart in the last bend. In the end, I managed to get ahead. After that, it was all about DRS.
Different settings
Max Verstappen succeeded in starting the race. Formula 1 races can be watched on Elisa Entertainment Viaplays and V sport channels.
The differences between the cars also made the fight exciting. Ferrari had enough momentum in the corners, Red Bull in the straight.
Verstappen also praised the fight.
– Really tight, but good race. We fought hard at the forefront. The tires wore here quickly. In the end, I was just trying to survive.
The F1 season will continue in two weeks in Australia. Leclerc leads the World Series.