Max Verstappen 'kickstarts season' with "smart tricks" Saudi Arabia win

Max and Charles battle in Jeddah — Photo: © LAT Images

Saudi Arabian Grand Prix

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Verstappen 'kickstarts season' with "smart tricks" Saudi Arabia win

Verstappen takes his first win of the season

Topher Smith

Sunday 27 March 2022 20:55 Updated: 21:12

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Max Verstappen had conceded to needing to play "smart tricks" on Charles Leclerc as he took victory in the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

Verstappen and Leclerc passed each other multiple times in the closing stages of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, with the Red Bull driver eventually winning out.

The key talking came when both drivers locked up while trying to outfox each other to gain the DRS advantage at the final corner and onto the start-finish straight.

"It was really tough but a good race, battling hard at the front," said Verstappen.

"We just tried to play the long game, they were quick in the corners and we were quick on the straights.

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"The tyres were wearing out quite quickly around here, so you could see at the end I think we had a little more pace so I tried to get by.

"It wasn't easy playing smart tricks in the last corner but eventually I managed to get ahead.

"Even after that, it was costly in the DRS, even with the yellow flags on the last lap. Just knowing how much you should lift, what is allowed or not, it was tough but I'm glad we've kickstarted the season."

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