Verstappen lead Red Bull to a 1-2 win in Bahrain

World champion Max Verstappen opened the new Formula 1 season in the best way possible and won for the first time in his career the Bahrain Grand Prix with Sergio Perez in second, giving a 1-2 win for Red Bull at Sakhir circuit.

Ferrari, who started from third and fourth, had only one car seeing the chequered flag with Sainz finishing at his starting position, while Charles Leclerc had an engine failure and had to retire with little over 20 laps to go.

After the lights out Verstappen took off well, but his teammate Sergio Perez had problems and Charles Leclerc took 2nd place with Sainz staying 5th.

Valteri Bottas had a mega start jumping from 12th do 8th, while Lance Stroll almost crashed out his Aston Martin teammate – Fernando Alonso in the first lap, but the Spaniard lucked out not to deal with flat tyre after the touch. After just 16 laps debutant Oscar Piastri had a problem with the gearbox and had to retire.

In the first pits both Red Bulls put on another set of soft tyres, while Leclerc and Sainz chose to drive the second stint on hards. This gave Sergio Perez the upper hand in the battle for second and he caught Leclerc before overtaking him on lap 26.

After the second pit stops Alonso went into a great battle with Hamilton for 5th and took it on lap 38. On lap 41 Leclerc suffered yet another heartbrake in Bahrain as his engine gave up and he had to retire the car.

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LAP 41/57

Oh no, not again 😖

📻 “No power” sighs Leclerc – he’s out ❌#BahrainGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/bRfRr6B2iR

— Formula 1 (@F1) March 5, 2023

With ten laps to go Alonso managed to overtake the second Ferrari with Carlos Sainz and stepped up on the final podium place. Top 10 was completed by Sainz, Hamilton, Stroll, Russel, Bottas, Gasly and Albon. Next start of the season is in Saudi Arabia in two weeks time.