Formula 1: Red Bull's Sergio Perez Wins Saudi Arabian F1 GP, Alonso Takes Another Podium

Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso was awarded the podium after race stewards initially demoted him to fourth for not having served a five-second time penalty correctly earlier in the race.

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In a thriller Formula 1 race, Red Bull grabbed 1-2 position in the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, held at Jeddah Corniche Circuit in Jeddah on Sunday. Sergio Perez took the first position, and his teammate Max Verstappen salvaged second place after starting 15th. However, the real drama ensued for the third spot, as Fernando Alonso was handed over the podium finish, after denying him the third spot post the race. With the second spot, Verstappen leads the championship standings with 44 points, with Perez just a single point adrift, and Alonso third with 30 points.

Fernando Alonso was awarded the podium after race stewards initially demoted him to fourth for not having served a five-second time penalty correctly earlier in the race. He served the punishment during his first pit stop, but stewards adjudged that Aston Martin's mechanics had touched the car before the five seconds had elapsed, handing him a further ten-second penalty that dropped him to fourth.

However, Aston Martin successfully argued that there were examples of other drivers not being penalized for similar offences and he was later handed over the third spot, which means he took his second consecutive third place finish, a first for the Aston Martin team. Alonso, a veteran in the game, joined Aston Martin this season only, after leaving the Alpine F1 team in 2022 season.

In the Constructors's Championship, Red Bull lead the way with 87 points, while Aston Martin and Mercedes-AMG are a long way back in second and third place, with both teams on 38 points.

"Again, the Safety Car wanted to take the victory from us, but we did the right thing and it was nice to get it done," said Perez, who had lost out on a potential win in last year`s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix after losing the race lead during a Safety Car period. "I thought we both pushed more than we needed because in the end it was just one tenth between us - the result wouldn`t have changed. In the end, it`s a massive team result."

Behind the top three, George Russell and Lewis Hamilton took fourth and fifth for the Mercedes-AMG teams, ahead of the twin Ferraris of Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc. Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly finished eighth and ninth for the Alpine, while Kevin Magnussen finished at the 10th spot. 

With IANS inputs