Verstappen continues winning streak in Saudi Arabia

JEDDAH :Max Verstappen won the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix from pole position on Saturday as Red Bull continued their dominant start to the Formula One season with a second one-two in as many races.

Mexican Sergio Perez was runner-up under the Jeddah Corniche floodlights, last year's winner taking the chequered flag 13.643 seconds behind his triple world champion team mate.

It was the first time Verstappen, winner of a record 19 of 22 races last year, has won the first two races of a season.

Charles Leclerc finished third for Ferrari, taking a bonus point for the fastest lap and earning his first podium of the season.

The victory was a ninth in a row for Verstappen, dating back to Japan last September, and 56th of the 26-year-old Dutch driver's career.

It was also his 100th career podium while Red Bull's 115th win lifted them ahead of Williams in fourth place on the all-time lists.

"Overall, a fantastic weekend for the whole team and myself. I felt really good with the car and it was the same in the race," Verstappen said.

Britain's Oliver Bearman, making his F1 race debut as Ferrari's youngest ever rookie at 18 years and 305 days old after Spaniard Carlos Sainz was sidelined by appendicitis, finished seventh and was voted Driver of the Day.

"Today he's been incredible," said Leclerc of his temporary team mate. "It's hugely impressive and I'm sure he's extremely proud. Everybody has noticed how talented he is and I'm sure it's just a matter of time before he's in F1."

BRITISH DRIVERS

Oscar Piastri was fourth for McLaren, with Fernando Alonso fifth for Aston Martin and George Russell sixth for Mercedes and the first of four British drivers following each other across the line.

McLaren's Lando Norris was eighth and seven-times world