Saudi Arabian GP takeaways: Max gets No. 100, brilliance from Bearman

Following each race weekend this year, theScore's editors Gianluca Nesci, Daniel Valente, Sarah Wallace, and Brandon Wile will offer their takeaways. We continue the 2024 schedule with the Saudi Arabian GP.

Moments that decided the race 👀

Verstappen keeps it 100

Red Bull might be in utter disarray off the track, but you would never know it by watching Max Verstappen drive.

For the second straight weekend, the reigning world champion flawlessly cruised to the finish line. However, he did it with authority in Saudi Arabia. It wasn't quite a grand slam like last week in Bahrain, but Verstappen's brilliance in Jeddah was arguably even more clinical as he secured his ninth consecutive victory and 100th career podium.

It all started in qualifying as the three-time champion edged the record 2021 pole time for the circuit, a notable feat considering Verstappen's infamous qualifying crash that cost him pole three years ago. With his Jeddah qualifying demons exorcised, the rest was history as he sped off after lights out.

Verstappen not only became the youngest driver to reach 100 career podiums; his nine consecutive victories also represent the second-longest streak in history, trailing only his own record of 10 from last year. That feels especially fitting for a driver who's been in a league of his own up front.

Leclerc lonely in third place

Just as Formula 1 got accustomed to seeing a podium combination of Lewis Hamilton, Valtteri Bottas, and Verstappen a number of years ago, the Saudi Arabian GP may have foreshadowed a new mashup that might become a mainstay in 2024: Verstappen, Sergio Perez, and Charles Leclerc.

Qualifying on the front row for the seventh straight race, the 26-year-old Leclerc held off Perez for as long as possible before the Mexican pilot got by for second place. After a pitstop under safety car conditions dropped Leclerc back a few spots, the Ferrari driver fought back to third, where he settled in comfortably.

There was nothing more Leclerc could do from there, but there's nothing wrong with that. He once again proved that he and Verstappen are the top two over one lap, while in the race he seems comfortably the strongest out of all non-Red Bull drivers. The Ferrari may have lacked a bit of race pace in Jeddah, but Leclerc appears poised and ready for when the machinery can accompany him to the front-runners.

Driver of the Day 🙌

Oliver Bearman: It was a storybook 48 hours for the 18-year-old. After Carlos Sainz was hospitalized with appendicitis Friday, Ferrari called up the teenager for F1 qualifying following Bearman finishing on pole for his F2 race. Bearman, Ferrari’s youngest-ever driver and the third-youngest in F1 history, showed maturity and fearlessness in his debut. After missing Q3 by tenths of a second and starting Saturday P11, the rookie was unafraid to overtake Nico Hulkenberg, Zhou Guanyu, and Yuki Tsunoda to put himself in the points. He then defended against fellow Brit Lando Norris for the final seven laps to take home P7.

It can't be overstated how difficult it must've been for Bearman to adjust from an F2 car to an F1 car in mere hours. F1 cars are almost double the horsepower, and races are 80 miles longer on average. Bearman only had one practice session to find his bearings, making his feat that much more impressive.

"It did (feel like a dream). It was a great race. I loved every moment, but the weekend was too short and over too quickly," Bearman said. "Now I'm back down to Earth, back down to reality. I think I did a good job."

Teams will be taking note of Bearman's audition in Jeddah. While Ferrari's seats are occupied, don't be surprised if you see him as a permanent addition to the grid in 2025.

Best battle ⚔️

K-Mag vs. the world: Nursing 20 seconds worth of penalties after a pair of early incidents, Kevin Magnussen knew he wasn't racing for himself in Saudi Arabia. Instead, the Dane played the team game to perfection. Magnussen essentially sacrificed his own race to help Hulkenberg grab Haas' first point of the season, keeping a gaggle of cars behind him while his German teammate opened up a large enough gap to pit and still come out ahead of the chasing pack. The likes of Tsunoda, Alex Albon, and Esteban Ocon were all stuck behind Magnussen for a large portion of the race. Each driver - and their respective team principals on the pit wall - grew increasingly frustrated as Magnussen used every inch of the track, and then some, to fight off the field and allow Hulkenberg to eventually finish in 10th place. "It was perfect teamwork, and I'll return the favor to him later in the season," Hulkenberg said of his teammate's sterling defensive efforts. The pair's infamous 2017 squabble is truly now a thing of the past.

They said what? 🗣️

"Obviously, there's rumblings. I'm aware of what's been said. Max is an important part of this team. He's our driver, and he's doing a great job. As team principal and CEO, I'm responsible for the running and operation of this team. Everybody has to do their part. ... Speculation is obviously rife, but the most important thing is the team and focusing on on-track performances." - Christian Horner on if he has Verstappen's support

"I think everyone knows it's important to have peace in the team and just focus on the driving aspect and the performance. So that's what we try to do as a team." - Verstappen on Helmut Marko's status with team

"It's frustrating for sure to be three years in a row in almost the same position. It's definitely tough, but we'll get our heads down and keep working away, and I know everyone back at the factory is pushing as hard as they can. We've definitely got to make big changes. We haven't made big enough changes, perhaps. You look at the three teams ahead of us, they still have different concepts to where we are." - Lewis Hamilton on finishing P9

"In the last few months, I think we are the team that's improved the most because we have been working extremely well. We just have to keep doing that, and I'm sure that our moment will come. We're in a good momentum in the moment. It's very clear the areas we need to work on in order to get better, which is a positive sign for this season. I don't know what Red Bull has in their pocket in terms of upgrades, but that will be what will define when we will be able to match them." - Leclerc on Ferrari's fight with Red Bull

"That's the target. I think Max is driving at super-high level. He's the only driver I feel like has maximized Saturday and Sunday pretty much from the beginning. ... We are close in the championship. As long as we keep evolving weekend after weekend, we can have a chance." - Perez on if he thinks he can challenge Verstappen for the drivers' championship

What's next?

The F1 calendar gets a week off before the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne. The race kicks off Sunday, March 24 at midnight ET.

Verstappen won in Australia last year ahead of Hamilton as a late red flag resulted in one of the closest finishes of the season.