Formula One: Sergio Perez wins Saudi Grand Prix as Red Bull teammate Max Verstappen surges to second

Sergio Perez has won the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix from pole position in a Red Bull one-two, with teammate Max Verstappen retaining the Formula One championship lead by racing from 15th to second with the fastest lap.

Double world champion Verstappen snatched the bonus point from Perez with a last-lap blast around Jeddah's floodlit Corniche street circuit to stay a point clear of the Mexican.

The result at Jeddah was Red Bull's second one-two in as many races this season, but a reverse of the March 5 opener in Bahrain.

Perez celebrates his victory.
Perez celebrates his victory. Photo credit: Getty Images

"That safety car again tried to take the victory away from us in Jeddah, but not this time," said Perez, who started on pole last year, but was caught out by a safety-car deployment.

"I was on for victory last year, so finally I got it," added the Mexican, who now has five career wins.

Spaniard Fernando Alonso was third at the chequered flag for Aston Martin, in what would have been a 100th career podium for the 41-year-old double world champion, who was then given a 10-second penalty and dropped to fourth.

George Russell was the beneficiary, moving up to the podium for Mercedes, with seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton fifth and Ferrari's Carlos Sainz in sixth place.

Ferrari's Charles Leclerc was seventh, with the Alpine pair of Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly eighth and ninth, and Kevin Magnussen taking the final point for Haas. 

Reuters