SUMMARY
- Anthony Joshua joins celebrities at Saudi Arabia GP after his recent victory over Francis Ngannou.
- Verstappen claims pole position in Jeddah with impressive Red Bull performance.
Anthony Joshua, fresh from his remarkable knockout victory over Francis Ngannou, was among the notable figures gracing the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix on Saturday. The stunning Jeddah circuit invites all the big names from the entertainment and sporting industries worldwide. The second race in the extensive 2024 campaign kicked off on a Saturday due to the restructured schedule.
Throughout the racing season, major celebrities are often seen at races, and the Jeddah circuit paddock was no exception, with a number of legendary athletes present. The British boxer will partake in the festivities which will take place at the Middle Eastern circuit. At the end of the qualifying session, Max Verstappen claimed the pole position and will lead the grid once again on Saturday.
Anthony Joshua among the star-studded lineup at the Saudi Arabian GP
The 2x heavyweight champion made it to Jeddah to witness Verstappen fighting off his rivals right after his spectacular win over Ngannou on Friday night. Despite his previous rigorous workout session, Joshua appeared rested and full of energy as he socialized with other athletes on the paddock. Joshua was joined by a bunch of prominent individuals, including former Manchester United stalwart Patrice Evra.
📸: British boxer Anthony Joshua is in Jeddah after his knockout bout with Francis Ngannou, chatting with Manchester United’s Patrice Evra.#F1 #SaudiArabianGP pic.twitter.com/VgRvoH7vos
— F1 Naija (@f1_naija) March 9, 2024
Before the races got going, Evra savored close discussions with team personnel while being entertained by the championship-winning Red Bull garage. In a different area of the paddock, Buffon was spotted while giving away autographed mementos with the reigning F1 champion. In the meanwhile, professional football manager Jose Mourinho was also spotted.
However, with the dawn of the fresh new season, Verstappen seems to be ahead of his peers with one win under his belt and steadily approaching his next. In contrary, the Mercedes drivers seems to be suffering from issues in their car leading to subpar performance. The P3 winner from Bahrain, Carlos Sainz was replaced by 18-year-old Oliver Bearman due to an emergency surgery.
Joshua witnesses Max Verstappen claim Jeddah trophy
The Dutchman secured the pole spot for the team as he won the Saudi Arabian GP. Three tenths back in second place was his Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez, followed by Charles Leclerc in third. Fernando Alonso secured fourth, while George Russell and Lewis Hamilton settled for seventh and eighth places respectively in their Mercedes. Verstappen was speedier in time than Hamilton, by over a second.
Max Verstappen has equalized the second best winning streak of all time, all the while already being the record holder for the most wins in a row.
He is unprecedented. pic.twitter.com/1BTXzKdeia
— RBR Daily (@RBR_Daily) March 9, 2024
With a remarkable performance, Bearman became the youngest driver from Britain to ever compete in Formula 1 as he qualified in 11th place for the big day. The Formula 2 driver impressed all with his 7th spot finish in the race ahead of Lando Norris and the 7x champion. After Liam Lawson, 18-year-old Bearman has left his mark in the sport and has drawn the attention of some of the major teams.
Notably, McLaren’s Oscar Piastri outshined his teammate with a P4 finish ahead of Alonso. At the conclusion of the two races, Verstappen has amassed 51 points for himself, followed by Perez and Leclerc.