Eight talking points from a surreal Saudi Arabian GP

First advantage to Mercedes

Verstappen’s on-the-edge last-corner error in qualifying when he looked all set to snatch pole position gave Hamilton and Mercedes-AMG team-mate Valtteri Bottas what appeared to be a crucial advantage for the grand prix. The pair had locked out the front row and in the first of what turned out to be three starts, they calmly turned that advantage into comfortable control of the early laps, with Verstappen and Red Bull seemingly powerless to respond. Then on lap 10 Mick Schumacher crashed his Haas at Turn 22 and the dramatic (and somewhat unhinged) sequence of events began to play out.

Verstappen leaps ahead

The accident triggered an inevitable safety car interlude to extract Schumacher’s car, and Hamilton and Bottas were among those who chose to pit for what was always going to be a one-stop race. Verstappen stayed out – and when the race director Michael Masi flew the red flags to stop proceedings so that repairs could be carried out to the SAFER barrier Schumacher had smashed into, suddenly the Dutchman found himself in a prime position to win – because he could make what amounted to a free tyre change during the pause in proceedings. Had that decision to pit under what appeared to be a straight safety car just cost Hamilton his shot at an eighth world title? From leading comfortably he was now on the back foot and the only way to regain track position was by taking on his rival in a straight head to head. This was now going to be a scrap pregnant with jeopardy.

Second start sets the tone

The race resumed from another standing start, as Hamilton made a fabulous getaway to apparently take the lead into Turn 1. At least that’s how it looked to everyone bar Verstappen, who refused to cede and kept his line around the outside into the Turn 1 and 2 chicane. The Red Bull cut the corner – without a choice, according to Max – and ran the black Mercedes out wide at the exit as Esteban Ocon’s Alpine took advantage to slip past both. Then Verstappen came back at the Frenchman and immediately took the lead. Hamilton appeared to be the big loser because he was now running third. “I had to avoid a collision there,” he rued. But the race was almost immediately stopped again as Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari tagged Sergio Perez’s Red Bull and Nikita Mazepin walked away from a frightening rear-end shunt into George Russell’s Williams.

Verstappen shuffled back

During the red flag interlude, we then listened to a novel exchange on the radio as Masi “offered” to Red Bull the option of the team accepting Verstappen should take the third restart from third on the grid, behind Ocon and Hamilton because of his unlawful ‘pass’ at Turn 1 after the second start. Had Red Bull not accepted this offer, the matter would have been referred to the stewards and the ruling likely made anyway, so the team reluctantly accepted. Odd to hear this play out, but with the race neutralised it was deemed a fair and equitable means of clearing up what had happened without reverting to penalties.

Meanwhile, Red Bull complained of two tactical moves from Mercedes. First, Bottas had dropped his speed excessively behind the safety car to allow enough space to Hamilton so that Mercedes could ‘double-stack’ the duo at their pit stops; then Hamilton left a big gap to Verstappen when forming up on the grid for the second start, leaving a fuming Max more vulnerable to attack as his tyres cooled while he sat still. The tension was rising.

Verstappen at his brilliant best

The third start brought the best out of Verstappen. As Hamilton attempted to deal with ‘pole position’ starter Ocon at Turn 1, Max steamed up the inside of both with a brilliantly forceful move to rise back into the lead and leave Hamilton scrabbling behind the Alpine. The advantage had swung back to Red Bull. Hamilton quickly despatched Ocon and now set off after Verstappen. We hadn’t yet hit the 20-lap mark in the 50-lap race.

Hamilton makes his move

The pair hammered around the Jeddah track and for lap after lap it was nip and tuck – as it has been all season between these astonishing racing drivers. A string of Virtual Safety Cars added further frustration as marshals dashed out to bravely remove debris from the growing roster of collisions and incidents. Then as the race went green once again, Hamilton closed in to make his move.

As they started lap 37 he got the draft on Verstappen and appeared to take the lead into Turn 1 – but as usual Max refused to cede and aggressively cut the corner to stay ahead. “The guy is ******* crazy, man,” fumed Lewis on the radio, before adding “it was just dangerous driving, dude.”

Bizarre rear-end collision causes a storm

The stewards appeared to agree with Hamilton’s verdict as Verstappen was order to give the place back. At this point his actions triggered a storm that will rage all the way to Abu Dhabi and probably into the winter. Max slowed, but lingered smack bang in the middle of the track, leaving his intentions unclear. Hamilton, apparently taken unawares, then clobbered the back of the Red Bull and ripped an endplate from his front wing. Lewis immediately accused his rival of a blatant brake test as the Red Bull accelerated away, then slowed again to finally allow Hamilton past – then shot back into the lead at the next corner! What on earth was going on? What was Verstappen playing at, and what was he thinking? This was all getting surreal as he once again allowed Hamilton through, Lewis this time running the Red Bull out wide to stop another retaliation.

Then news came through that Verstappen had been pinged five seconds for going off track and taking an advantage in his aggressive defence against Hamilton’s lap 37 pass at Turn 1. The battle was effectively over, which it might have been anyway without all these bizarre shenanigans. Verstappen’s medium tyres were rooted and with Ocon and Bottas still in range during their battle for third he couldn’t even pit for soft Pirellis to snatch the extra point for fastest lap. He had no choice but to settle for second as Hamilton reeled off the final laps, the Mercedes W12’s front wing hanging in there as he scored his 103^rd GP victory. It will be remembered as one of his weirdest.

Bottas nabs third from Ocon on the line

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff had thrown his headset in a fury when Hamilton ran into the back of Verstappen. But he was smiling at the finish as Lewis secured the win and Bottas got a run on Ocon out of the final corner to bag third place right on the line. This was a big contribution from the Finn, especially in the wake of Perez’s retirement in the other Red Bull. The result means Mercedes heads to Abu Dhabi with a suddenly healthy 28-point lead in the constructors’ standings.

But there’s nothing healthy right now about the state of play between Hamilton and Verstappen. Neither acknowledged the other in the aftermath and on the podium, Hamilton needing a moment to compose himself before facing the post-race interview. There’s been little between the pair all year and that’s now a literal description after a trio of wins that has brought the seven-time champion back from what appeared a month ago to be certain defeat. After this one, it’s anyone’s guess what will be in store for us next weekend.

Images courtesy of Motorsport Images.