Antonio Giovinazzi scored his second top-ten finish of 2021 in Saudi Arabia, the Alfa Romeo driver finally having luck on his side for his penultimate race in F1 with the Swiss outfit.
From the outset, the 27-year-old Italian who will migrate to Formula E next season was on his game around Jeddah's ultra-fast street circuit where he qualified P10, two spots ahead of his Alfa teammate Kimi Raikkonen.
On race day, he steered clear of the commotion and drama that unfolded in the early satges of the races, and even moved up the order to settle in seventh place after the two red-flag restarts.
"Finally a little bit of luck!" enthused Giovinazzi. "But since FP1 we’ve been really fast you know: P5 in FP1, then FP2, FP3 [was] a little bit worse.
"Then qualifying and the race again, the pace was there, and I’m really happy with this, at the start we gained positions so yes, just happy."
However, in the final third of the race, Giovinazzi could do little against the charging Ferraris of Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc.
But overall, the Italian was certainly relieved to deliver points to his team for the first time since last spring in Monaco.
"[It's] great! Great, because it was a long time ago in Monaco and we were so many times so close but never happening, so today I was happy.
"Overall, it was a great weekend for myself, qualifying yesterday, the race, the restart was good, we gained positions, we were most of the race in front of the Ferrari but then in the end they were just too quick.
"But yes, happy with P9, happy for myself too as I needed [it] and now one more to go until the end. I’m really happy for today."
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