Two-time defending champ shocked by 'problem'

Sergio Perez stepped up for Red Bull to guarantee the squad started from the rod astatine the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix aft a mechanical contented sidelined two-time defending satellite champion Max Verstappen.

Verstappen was fastest successful each 3 signifier sessions astatine the Jeddah Corniche Circuit but his qualifying effort was chopped abbreviated erstwhile helium radioed “I person a problem. Engine, motor problem,” during the 2nd session. The Dutchman drove to the pits, wherever a driveshaft contented was discovered, and Verstappen's qualifying effort was over.

It near Perez arsenic the lone Red Bull typical successful the last circular of qualifying and helium went connected to triumph rod for the 2nd consecutive twelvemonth — the lone 2 poles of his career.

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“Max has been truly beardown the full weekend, truthful hopefully we tin person some cars up there,” Perez said.

“You ne'er cognize with these cars, reliability issues tin deed you astatine immoderate time.”

Max Verstappen of the Netherlands and Oracle Red Bull Racing talks with Red Bull Racing squad main Christian Horner successful the store during qualifying up of the F1 Grand Prix of Saudi Arabia. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images) (Getty)

Verstappen volition commencement 15th.

Charles Leclerc qualified 2nd for Ferrari but volition driblet 10 positions astatine the commencement of the contention due to the fact that of a grid punishment for exceeding the allotted electronics power portion connected the car’s motor successful the season-opening race.

Leclerc said adjacent without the punishment helium wasn't each that impressed with his qualifying effort due to the fact that the full grid is chasing Red Bull. Verstappen past twelvemonth won a grounds 15 races, Perez added 2 victories and Red Bull claimed some the operator and constructors championships.

“The thigh — I'm really, truly happy. It was truly connected the limit,” Leclerc said. “On the different hand, I consciousness the Red Bull are rather acold up and that is our goal, to bushed them, truthful determination is inactive a batch of enactment to do.”

The punishment to Leclerc pushes Fernando Alonso to the beforehand enactment for the commencement aft the Spaniard qualified 3rd successful his caller Aston Martin ride. Alonso finished 3rd successful his season-opening debut contention with Aston successful Bahrain.

Is helium successful presumption to triumph his archetypal F1 contention since 2013?

“No, I deliberation we are not successful that presumption yet. I deliberation connected axenic pace, Red Bull is successful different league,” Alonso said. "I deliberation we request to absorption much connected the different teams: Ferrari volition beryllium precise strong, Mercedes they are strong, and besides Alpine, they are accelerated here.

15th placed qualifier Max Verstappen of the Netherlands and Oracle Red Bull Racing climbs from his car successful the store during qualifying up of the F1 Grand Prix of Saudi Arabia astatine Jeddah Corniche Circuit. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images) (Getty)

“I deliberation our contention is down us. But we saw Max could not implicit qualifying with a mechanical issue, truthful adjacent if we absorption connected our mirrors and effort to support the radical down us, if thing happened successful front, we volition effort to instrumentality the opportunity, for sure.”

George Russell qualified 4th for Mercedes — 4 spots up of teammate Lewis Hamilton. The seven-time champion qualified eighth.

Carlos Sainz Jr was 5th for Ferrari followed by Lance Stroll of Aston Martin. Esteban Ocon was seventh.

Aussie youngster Oscar Piastri was ninth for McLaren and Pierre Gasly 10th for Alpine.

Logan Sargeant, the American rookie driving for Williams, was concisely atop the velocity illustration successful the archetypal qualifying radical until his clip was deleted for violating way limits. Sargeant's tyre had concisely touched an country of way considered disconnected limits and the FIA rapidly deleted his lap.

Sargeant aboriginal spun successful the qualifying radical successful his hopeless propulsion to not suffice last. Had his earlier thigh not been deleted, Sargeant would person precocious into the 2nd circular of qualifying. He'll commencement 20th.

“I enactment successful a precise accelerated thigh but it was deleted arsenic I crossed the pitlane introduction by a margin. There was nary show summation truthful it’s frustrating, but I inactive had 2 much laps to present and I didn’t, truthful my apologies spell to the team,” Sargeant said.

“Although I’ve fixed myself a batch much enactment than I needed to, I’m rather optimistic astir (Sunday) and I’ll marque it up to the team.”

The Jeddah circuit is the second-longest way connected the F1 circuit astatine 6.174 kilometres and was built alongside the Red Sea.

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