Verstappen Sauer
“Everything I say could get me into trouble”
04/21/2025 – 02:05 a.m.Reading time: 3 min.
The Australian Oscar Piatri delivered an ice -cold performance in Formula 1 in Dschidda – the defending champion Verstappen, on the other hand, was angry.
Oscar Piatri relishly accepted the congratulations of his competitors in sweat and cheered Sebastian Vettel like once. After his ice-cold victory at the Grand Prix of Saudi Arabia in Dschidda, the new World Cup leader of Formula 1 stretched its index finger into the camera-and longed for relaxation.
“I would like to put myself on a couch, it was a hard race, certainly one of the hardest in my career so far,” said the Australian with a view to the high temperatures. Then the enthusiasm broke out of him. “I’m absolutely happy,” Piatri added.
No wonder: for the first time in his career, the 24-year-old is at the top in the Tableau of the premier class. Piatri now has 99 points in the account, followed by Team colleague Lando Norris (89) and world champion Max Verstappen. Piatri owes this to a hardened performance and tough racing against the Red Bull star. “When I was on the inside at the start of the first curve, it was clear: I won’t go out as a second one,” said Piatri.
Polesitter Max Verstappen only said nasty after the missed victory: “Thanks to the fans. The rest is as it is. I’m looking forward to the next race in Miami.” The Dutchman was surprisingly fast at the night race, but in the end it could no longer get Piatri – and was angry with the judgment of the racing commissioners in curve one. At the later press conference, Verstappen showed his displeasure more clearly. “The problem is that I can’t say my opinion because then I may be punished,” said Verstappen towards FIA. “Everything I say could get me into trouble.”
The endurance test in the duel came for the 27-year-old a few seconds after the start. Side by side thundered Verstappen and Piatri towards the first curve. There was not enough space for both racing cars, the red bull star removed and stayed in front. A few curves later, Verstappen’s teammate Yuki Tsunoda and Pierre Gasly crash in the alpine.
The Safety Car came on the track, Piatri immediately sparked: “He has to give me back my position, he would never have got the curve”. Verstappen, on the other hand, kept: “He pushed me out of the route!” Nevertheless, he got a five-second penalty. “Where should Max have driven? The five seconds were already a bit harsh,” said Red Bull Motor Sports Advisor Helmut Marko at the Sky Microphone.
Verstappen cleverly put on the restart and initially built a gap to Piatri. The longer the race ran, the more it became clear that the Red Bull is on the track on the outside. Piatri was the first of the top drivers to the box in round 20. Meanwhile, Verstappen was cheered on by his racing engineer Gianpiero Lambiase: “Give everything you have,” he sparked, and called his protégé two laps later than the McLaren competitor to change the tire. Piatri now passed because of the retirement of the time penalty. Leclerc temporarily took the lead before Norris.
When these two had completed their stops, Piatri took the lead again with just over a four -second lead and was able to preserve his lead on the open.
Charles Leclerc won the first Grand Prix podium for the Scuderia this season in Ferrari. While celebrated on one side of the McLaren garage was allowed to celebrate, Norris was the loser of the day. Despite a decent performance, the podium was denied to him fourth. “It is the best we could get,” he said disappointed at Sky. In the team internal duel, it is difficult for the time being.
Meanwhile, the Mercedes silver arrows George Russell and Kimi Antonelli drove to the finish and sixth. Record world champion Lewis Hamilton In the second Ferrari, only seventh. The Emmerich Nico Hülkenberg meanwhile had to cope with his fourth zero number in a row, from starting place 18 there was not much for the clean pilot, the 37-year-old ended the race in 15th place.