The Dutchman achieved nine victories in as many races as he achieved a comfortable victory at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
Max Verstappen won the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix from pole position as Red Bull continued its dominant start to the Formula One season with a second one-two in as many races.
Mexico's Sergio Perez was runner-up on Saturday under the Jeddah Corniche floodlights, with last year's winner crossing the checkered flag 13.643 seconds behind his triple world champion teammate.
It was the first time Verstappen, winner of a record 19 of 22 races last year, had won the first two races of a season.
Charles Leclerc finished third for Ferrari, earning an extra point for fastest lap and taking his first podium of the season.
The victory was the ninth in a row for Verstappen, dating back to Japan last September, and the 56th of the 26-year-old Dutch driver's career.
It was also the 100th podium of their career, while Red Bull's 115th victory moved them ahead of Williams into fourth place on the all-time list.
“Overall it has been a fantastic weekend for the whole team and me. “I felt very good with the car and it was the same in the race,” Verstappen said.
Britain's Oliver Bearman, who debuted in an F1 race as Ferrari's youngest rookie at 18 years and 305 days after Spaniard Carlos Sainz was sidelined by appendicitis, finished seventh and was named Driver of the Day.
“Today he was incredible,” Leclerc said of his temporary teammate. “It's hugely impressive and I'm sure he's very proud. “Everyone has noticed how talented he is and I am sure it is only a matter of time before he is in F1.”
Oscar Piastri finished fourth for McLaren, ahead of Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso, Mercedes' George Russell and Bearman, with two more Britons, Lando Norris and seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton, eighth and ninth for McLaren and Mercedes, with Nico Hulkenberg taking the second place. Final point for Haas.
'One of the most physical races'
After his ninth consecutive victory, Verstappen said it was “one of the most physical, toughest races.”
The safety car was deployed on lap seven after Aston Martin's Lance Stroll hit the wall and then crashed into the barriers at Turn 22.
The Canadian emerged unscathed as all but four drivers, including Norris and Hamilton, pitted.
Norris, who was later cleared of an alleged early grid start, led when the new Aston Martin Vantage safety car returned to the pits on lap nine, but Verstappen was back in front on lap 13 and pulled away.
Perez received a five-second penalty for an unsafe start at his first pit stop and Haas' Kevin Magnussen received a 10-second penalty for causing a collision with Williams' Alex Albon.
The Dane subsequently received another 10-second penalty for leaving the track and gaining an advantage, but his main role was to create enough of a gap behind Hulkenberg so that the German could pit and still finish with a valuable point.
Alpine's Pierre Gasly was asked to pit and park on the first lap due to a suspected gearbox problem, becoming the first DNF of the season after all 20 cars finished the first lap in Bahrain a week before.
