The second race of the F1 Co-op season took place at the high-speed Jeddah street circuit, and while it was another masterclass from Kruimel, the story of the weekend was a thrilling battle between The Captain and Fernando Alonso, culminating in a dramatic final lap.
Qualifying Drama Sets the Stage
Aston Martin continued to show why they have the best car on the grid. Kruimel put in an impressive series of laps, dominating the timing screens from the outset. His teammate Alonso was solid but not quite at Kruimel’s level, qualifying in third. Meanwhile, Mercedes’ The Captain faced early struggles in P6, compounded by a controversial five-place grid penalty for impeding during a cooldown lap. However, The Captain delivered one of the standout moments in qualifying, clawing back time in a sensational final lap to briefly claim provisional pole, only for Kruimel to snatch it back by a mere 0.031 seconds in the dying moments.
Kruimel secured his second pole position of the season, while The Captain’s penalty meant he would start from P7 despite his heroic effort. Red Bull’s Lando Norris qualified P4, while Max Verstappen’s woes continued, managing only P7.
Lights Out: Kruimel Cruises, Battles Brew Behind
From the start, Kruimel shot away cleanly, immediately asserting his dominance as Alonso, Norris, and George Russell (McLaren) went three-wide into the first chicane. The Captain, starting from P7, fought hard with Verstappen and Sergio Perez (McLaren) through the opening corners. He briefly gained ground but had to settle behind them, holding P7.
By lap 5, the race had already formed several groups. Kruimel, in the lead, began pulling away, while Alonso held up Russell, Norris, and Verstappen. Perez and The Captain trailed closely behind, waiting for opportunities. Verstappen made a move on Perez and joined the battle for P2, while The Captain bided his time.
The first key moment came on lap 7 when The Captain pitted early to execute the undercut, switching to medium tires. A slow pit stop due to a problem with the left rear cost him time, but he returned to the track in clean air. Shortly after, Kruimel pitted, handing the lead to Alonso temporarily, but the reigning champion quickly regained control.
The Captain Charges Through the Field
Post-pit stops, The Captain found himself in P3, with a gap of 3.5 seconds to Alonso and Perez breathing down his neck. However, the Mercedes driver managed to fend off Perez’s attack and began to reel in Alonso, cutting the gap down with each lap. In the meantime, Perez had to switch his attention to Verstappen, who was mounting a charge for P4.
On lap 14, Verstappen’s engine failed dramatically while battling Perez, leading to his second pointless finish of the season. Yellow flags were waved, but no safety car was deployed, allowing Kruimel to maintain his comfortable 10-second lead at the front.
Final Lap Showdown: The Captain vs. Alonso
The race climaxed in the final lap, with The Captain sitting within DRS range of Alonso, eager to snatch P2. Heading into turn 1, The Captain made his first serious move, but Alonso aggressively defended. Undeterred, The Captain waited for his chance and lined up a daring attack at the final corner. With DRS open and his energy systems fully charged, The Captain dived to the inside of Alonso. The two made contact, carbon fiber flying, as Alonso tried to force The Captain off the line.
Despite the contact, The Captain held his ground, powering through to take second place by a slim margin. Alonso crossed the line in third, visibly frustrated, while Kruimel sailed to a comfortable victory, extending his early season dominance with his second consecutive win.
Post-Race Interviews
Jenson Button to Kruimel: “Congratulations on a commanding victory. You were untouchable today. How did the race feel from the cockpit?”
Kruimel: “Honestly, it was pretty smooth. The car felt amazing from the start, and once I got into my rhythm, it was just about managing the gap. The team did a perfect job with the strategy. It’s always special to share the podium with The Captain after a race like that.”
Jenson Button to The Captain: “That was an intense battle with Alonso at the end. Talk us through it.”
The Captain: “Yeah, it was a tough race, especially after that penalty. The start was chaotic, but I managed to stay clean. I knew I had the pace in the second stint, and when I got behind Alonso, I was waiting for the right moment. I had him on the last lap, but the contact was unnecessary. He defended hard, but that’s racing. Happy with P2!”
Looking Ahead
With two races down, Kruimel looks untouchable, but The Captain’s resilience and pace suggest the season could be much closer than it seems. As Red Bull and McLaren continue to battle for the midfield, all eyes will be on Verstappen to see if he can bounce back from a disastrous start to the season.
For now, the spotlight remains on Kruimel and The Captain, two childhood friends turned fierce rivals, leading the charge in Season 2.
