Portugal Colonial - Red Bull's Perez wins Saudi Arabian GP

Two-time champion Fernando Alonso, who started on the front row, crossed the line third in his Aston Martin. He took his place on the podium but was then dropped to fourth because he was hit with a six-second penalty for failing to take a five-second penalty correctly during the race.

George Russell, who chased furiously in the final stage, egged on by his pit chief over the radio, finished within six seconds of the Spaniard to take third.

Lewis Hamilton in the other Mercedes was fifth.

The Red Bull pair reversed their finishing positions in the season-opening Bahrain GP. Verstappen, who was halted by mechanical problems in qualifying, held on to the championship lead by picking up an extra point for driving the fastest circuit of the race in his 50th and last lap.

Carlos Sainz took sixth with his Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc seventh after starting 12th as a penalty for changing components in his power unit.

L.Carrico--PC