Max Verstappen celebrates his victory in the F1 Grand Prix of Saudi Arabia on March 27, 2022. Photo: VCG

World champion Max Verstappen bounced back from his Bahrain disappointment to steer his Red Bull to a thrilling victory ahead of Ferrari's Charles Leclerc in Sunday's Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

The 24-year-old Dutchman, who failed to finish due to a fuel problem in the opening race, won by just half a second after the pair swapped positions in a tense battle through the final laps.

It was the closest race finish since the 2020 Italian Grand Prix.

Leclerc's Ferrari teammate Carlos Sainz finished third ahead of Sergio Perez in the second Red Bull, the top four proving to be in a class of their own.

Mercedes new boy George Russell came home fifth ahead of Alpine's Esteban Ocon and McLaren's Lando Norris with Pierre Gasly taking eighth for AlphaTauri.

Kevin Magnussen finished ninth for Haas and seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton 10th, rescuing some pride after starting 15th on a difficult weekend in the second Mercedes.

It was the 21st win of his career for Verstappen and, like Leclerc, he welcomed the success of the new era cars that have permitted closer racing and allowed drivers to recover and regain positions after being passed.

Leclerc congratulated his rival on his victory on their slow-down laps, but after two races remains the embryonic championship's early season leader by 12 points.

"Of course, I am disappointed, but I enjoyed that race and I hope that we have more like that this season," he said.

"It should be like this always!"

Verstappen said it had been very close and he had also revelled in the contest. 

"I just managed to get in front and to stay there, but it was a great race," he said.

Perez made a perfect start from his first pole position at the 215th attempt as behind him Leclerc's move behind the Mexican only served to block his Ferrari teammate Sainz and gift Verstappen a free pass to third.

After a hot day, the temperature was 26 C when the lights went out with a reduced grid of 18 cars, Mick Schumacher missing after his huge crash for Haas in qualifying and Yuki Tsunoda following technical problems with his AlphaTauri on a warm-up lap.

Max Verstappen leads Charles Leclerc during the F1 Grand Prix of Saudi Arabia on March 27, 2022 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Photo: VCG

Zhou Guanyu's aggression in a scrap to pass Alex Albon saw him run off the circuit, a move that earned him a five-second penalty before, on Lap 16, Perez pitted from the lead, rejoining third.

Within a lap, Nicholas Latifi crashed in his Williams at the widened exit of the final corner and a Virtual Safety Car (VSC), followed by a full Safety Car, was deployed - gifting both Ferrari men and Verstappen cheap pit-stops, Leclerc having ignored his team's call to "box to overtake."

It was desperately unlucky for Perez, who forcefully claimed third when Sainz emerged after from pitting.

Leclerc and Verstappen were ­trading fastest laps and running close. 

Frustrated

By Lap 30, the Ferrari led by 1.6 seconds, leaving Sainz 5.2 seconds behind in third and Perez fourth, a further seven seconds adrift.

With 12 laps remaining, the hot conditions seemed to take their toll with a rash of retirements led by Fernando Alonso's Alpine, apparently with cooling problems. 

Daniel Ricciardo followed, pulling his McLaren to a halt at the pit lane entry, as Valtteri Bottas abandoned his Alfa Romeo in the pits.

This left 14 cars when the race continued on Lap 41. Hamilton promptly pitted for new medium tyres, but rejoined 12th to begin another final charge as Verstappen fought Leclerc for the race lead.

The Dutchman passed him at the final corner on Lap 42, only for Leclerc to respond. On Lap 43, he tried again, but Leclerc hung on.

Verstappen continued pressing, dummying and threatening, before he passed him again on Lap 47.

It stayed that way for two laps, Leclerc probing to respond, but waved yellow flags following a clash between Lance Stroll and Albon, left him frustrated as they started the final lap.

Hamilton gutted

Hamilton described his slog to the final points-paying position as "gutting" but the seven-time champion vowed to keep up the fight.

The sport's most successful driver with 103 wins, Hamilton was heard asking his engineer if his 10th-place finish offered any reward, as he found himself racing in unfamiliar territory on his return to the track at which he claimed his most recent win in December.

"Right now we're not fighting for the top step as you know, we're so far off the guys up ahead," he told reporters after driving in his 180th race for Mercedes, a new record for a driver with one constructor.

"We've got a lot of work to do.

"It's gutting but we'll keep working hard and keep fighting."