Max Verstappen claims first win of F1 season after enthralling battle with Charles LeClerc at Saudi Arabian Grand Prix

By Ben Morse, CNN

Updated 1924 GMT (0324 HKT) March 27, 2022

Max Verstappen celebrates on the podium after winning the Saudi Arabia Grand Prix.

(CNN)Reigning world champion Max Verstappen won the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix on Sunday after a thrilling battle with Charles LeClerc.

The Red Bull driver, second for most of the race, took the lead with just a few laps to go and never relinquished it.Just like in Bahrain last week, the pair were locked together in an enthralling battle, with the final 10 laps of the race in Jeddah making for gripping watching.The victory is Verstappen's first of the 2022 season, having not finished in Bahrain last week.Ferrari made up the rest of the podium with LeClerc in second and Carlos Sainz in third.Read MoreThe race came on a difficult weekend for F1, after missile strikes on an oil storage facility near the track by Yemen's Houthi rebels.24-year-old Verstappen called it a «really tough race but a good race.»«We were both battling hard at the front. We just tried to play the long game,» Verstappen said. «They were really quick through corners and we were really quick on the straight. The tires were wearing out quite quick. You could see by the end we had a little bit more pace. »I tried to get by, it wasn't easy, they were playing smart tricks in the last corner, but eventually I managed to get ahead. Even after that he was constantly in the DRS.«Really happy we finally kick-started the season.»Verstappen celebrates on the podium after winning the Saudi GP.To and froHaving earned his country's first-ever pole position, Sergio Perez made a perfect start on Sunday. The Mexican was quick off the line, blocking off second-placed LeClerc as well as maintaining his lead.However, his dream race