F1 Saudi Arabia GP 2024 LIVE: Race results, updates and times as Ollie Bearman scores points on debut
Follow all the latest updates from the race in Jeddah as Bearman scores points on a terrific F1 debut
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Your support makes all the difference.Max Verstappen romped to another commanding win at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, as rookie British teenager Ollie Bearman completed a dream debut by beating Lewis Hamilton to finish a brilliant seventh.
Despite threatening to quit Red Bull just 24 hours previously, following another twist in the ongoing Red Bull saga, Verstappen followed his win at the season-opening round in Bahrain last Saturday with another comfortable triumph in his all-conquering machine – remarkably his 19th in 20 appearances.
Sergio Perez completed a one-two finish for Red Bull, with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc third. But for Bearman, just three months old when Hamilton made his debut in 2007, this will be a night he will never forget.
Handed his shock debut as an 11th-hour stand-in for Carlos Sainz, the boy from Chelmsford, 18 years, 10 months and one day, drove into the record books as the youngest British driver to start a Formula One race.
Follow all the latest updates at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix
Driver Standings after one race
1. Max Verstappen - 26 points
2. Sergio Perez - 18 points
3. Carlos Sainz - 15 points
4. Charles Leclerc - 12 points
5. George Russell - 10 points
6. Lando Norris - 8 points
7. Lewis Hamilton - 6 points
8. Oscar Piastri - 4 points
9. Fernando Alonso - 2 points
10. Lance Stroll - 1 point
11. Zhou Guanyu - 0 points
12. Kevin Magnussen - 0 points
13. Daniel Ricciardo - 0 points
14. Yuki Tsunoda - 0 points
15. Alex Albon - 0 points
16. Nico Hulkenberg - 0 points
17. Esteban Ocon - 0 points
18. Pierre Gasly - 0 points
19. Valtteri Bottas - 0 points
20. Logan Sargeant - 0 points
Oliver Bearman one of 20 on the drivers parade!
A reminder of the starting grid in Saudi:
1. Max Verstappen
2. Charles Leclerc
3. Sergio Perez
4. Fernando Alonso
5. Oscar Piastri
6. Lando Norris
7. George Russell
8. Lewis Hamilton
9. Yuki Tsunoda
10. Lance Stroll
11. Ollie Bearman
12. Alex Albon
13. Kevin Magnussen
14. Daniel Ricciardo
15. Nico Hulkenberg
16. Valtteri Bottas
17. Esteban Ocon
18. Pierre Gasly
19. Logan Sargeant
20. Zhou Guanyu
Ollie Bearman’s dad after his son qualified P11!
Where will Bearman finish on his F1 debut?
Max Verstappen takes pole as Ferrari debutant Ollie Bearman impresses in Saudi Arabia
Teenager Ollie Bearman celebrated becoming the youngest British driver in Formula One history by qualifying 11th in his Ferrari for Saturday’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
Bearman, 18 years and 10 months to the day, was thrown into the deepest of ends as a last-minute stand-in for Carlos Sainz, who was hospitalised with appendicitis.
But the Essex teenager, with just one hour of practice under his belt, and having never driven an F1 machine at night, came within 0.036 seconds of toppling Lewis Hamilton and progressing to Q3.
Max Verstappen put Red Bull’s continued off-track woes to one side by taking pole position, with Charles Leclerc second, three tenths back, and Sergio Perez third.
Fernando Alonso took fourth, with George Russell and Hamilton seventh and eighth respectively for Mercedes. Hamilton was nearly one second slower than Verstappen.
Max Verstappen takes pole as Ferrari debutant Ollie Bearman impresses in Saudi Arabia
British 18-year-old Bearman came within 0.036 seconds of toppling Lewis Hamilton and progressing to Q3
F1 Saudi Aarabian Grand Prix: Start time and where can I watch?
(All times GMT)
Saturday 9 March
- Race: 5pm
How can I watch it online and on TV?
The Saudi Arabian Grand Prix will be broadcast live on Sky Sports in the United Kingdom - and ESPN in the United States. Sky’s coverage of the race starts at 3:30pm.
Highlights of the race in the UK will be aired on free-to-air Channel 4 at 9:30pm (GMT) on Saturday.
Max Verstappen threatens to quit Red Bull with Helmut Marko at risk of suspension
Max Verstappen has sensationally threatened to quit Red Bull if Helmut Marko – who is at risk of suspension – is forced out of the team.
In another twist to the saga engulfing F1’s most dominant team, long-term motorsport adviser Marko could be suspended, according to reports.
Red Bull are undertaking a new investigation surrounding the various media leaks in the last month or so, including the leak of WhatsApp messages allegedly between Christian Horner and his female colleague, some of a sexually suggestive nature.
The BBC goes further, saying that Red Bull do indeed intend to suspend the 80-year-old, who is a close ally of Max and his father Jos.
And three-time world champion Verstappen, mere minutes after taking pole in Saudi Arabia, insisted his future at the team could depend on Marko’s position.
Max Verstappen threatens to quit Red Bull with Helmut Marko at risk of suspension
The saga involving the world champions took another twist late on Friday when it emerged Marko could be suspended
What is the starting grid for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix?
1. Max Verstappen
2. Charles Leclerc
3. Sergio Perez
4. Fernando Alonso
5. Oscar Piastri
6. Lando Norris
7. George Russell
8. Lewis Hamilton
9. Yuki Tsunoda
10. Lance Stroll
11. Ollie Bearman
12. Alex Albon
13. Kevin Magnussen
14. Daniel Ricciardo
15. Nico Hulkenberg
16. Valtteri Bottas
17. Esteban Ocon
18. Pierre Gasly
19. Logan Sargeant
20. Zhou Guanyu
‘We’re here to stay’: F1 presenter Laura Winter sends defiant message to women in light of Horner scandal
F1 TV presenter Laura Winter produced a moving piece to camera in Saudi Arabia on International Women’s Day – admitting it has not been easy being a woman working in the sport in light of recent events.
The female Red Bull employee who accused team principal Christian Horner of “inappropriate behaviour” was suspended yesterday, on the eve of International Women’s Day on Friday.
The complainant still has the right to appeal the outcome of Red Bull’s internal investigation, which cleared Horner of any wrongdoing.
But after what has been a difficult month, with the role of women in Formula 1 brought back into the limelight, Winter sent a defiant message to those working in the sport and female fans, insisting: “We are here to stay and we are right where we belong.”
‘We’re here to stay’: F1 presenter sends message to women in light of Horner scandal
The female Red Bull employee who accused Christian Horner of ‘inappropriate behaviour’ was suspended, one day before International Women’s Day
Could Max Verstappen really join Mercedes in 2025? Here’s what we know
In the never-ending topsy-turvy circus of Formula One, it’s wise to expect the unexpected.
Yet these latest shenanigans regarding Christian Horner, Max Verstappen and Red Bull – and the potential fallout and consequences of internal politics within the team – would be monumentally seismic for the sport.
The controversy surrounding Horner doesn’t seem to have concluded just yet. The latest is that Horner met with Verstappen’s manager in Dubai on Monday, to de-escalate tensions within the team after Verstappen’s father Jos implied that Horner’s position as team principal was untenable.
But where are we heading in this matter? What could the potential fallout be? And could Red Bull be in danger of losing their star driver to their biggest rivals?
The Independent gives the low-down on all matters Verstappen, Red Bull and Horner:
Could Max Verstappen really join Mercedes in 2025? Here’s what we know
Red Bull’s three-time world champion has a break clause in his contract which could give Toto Wolff hope of landing the Dutchman
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