The 2023 World Championship restarts under the sign of Red Bull who flies Sakhir and immediately scores a double with Max Verstappen the undisputed leader from the first lap to the checkered flag and Sergio Pérez 2nd. Surprising 3rd place for Fernando Alonso who at 41 years old climbed to the podium 99 of his career. Ferrari was very bad with Leclerc who was betrayed by reliability problems on the 41st lap.
The new season of the 2023 Formula 1 World Championship started in the sign of Red Bull and the two world champion Max Verstappen. The Dutch champion dominates the Bahraini GP, taking pole and winning the first race of the season by big, keeping his head from the first corner right up to the checkered flag.
Leclerc debacle, Alonso surprise.
Double for the Milton Keynes team, which also places Sergio Perez in 2nd place while Ferrari licks its wounds which even closes the first GP of the season off the podium: Sainz is overtaken by an infinite Fernando Alonso - and a fabulous Aston Martin - who conquers the third position at 41 years and 7 months; while the season of Charles Leclerc opens with a retirement, forced to park the car on lap 41 due to engine failure while he was third, the only one capable of interrupting the one-two Red Bull overtaking Perez at the start and keeping up with the Mexican for the first half of the match.
The reliability of the Prancing Horse is seriously worrying, the Monegasque's SF-23 finds no peace for the whole weekend: and to think that the battery and control unit had been replaced on the Monegasque's single-seater before the race.
The two Aston Martin single-seaters precede both Mercedes.
Little glory also for Mercedes with fifth place for Lewis Hamilton and seventh for Russell: in the middle of the two silver arrows a surprising Lance Stroll, sixth less than two weeks after the operation on his injured wrist which had forced him to jump the tests.
Key moments of the race.
Departure – Excellent reaction from the Ferraris when the traffic lights go out: Leclerc burns Perez, Sainz also tries but is squeezed and has to lift his foot. Verstappen remains in command and immediately tries to escape. Alonso loses two positions to the Mercedes, even suffering a contact on the right rear by teammate Stroll.
Lap 13/57 – Alonso overtakes Russell in 5th provisional place. Meanwhile, the first whirlwind of pit stops begins: Leclerc and Sainz stop on the same lap, one after the other, mounting hard tyres; the Red Bulls come in later to change tyres, but surprisingly they stay on the softs.
Lap 25/57 – In five laps Perez (with soft tires) gets back under Leclerc and overtakes the Monegasque. Red Bull takes back the first two positions.
Lap 34/57 – Second tire change. Slight hesitation in Perez's restart but 2nd place is not questioned. After virtually a lap on the podium, Alonso returns and finds himself 6th behind Hamilton.
Lap 39/57 – Beautiful tussle between Alonso and Hamilton for 5th place. The seven-times world champion reacts on his first attempt, but on the following lap he can't do anything about a great braking by Nando in turn 10.
Lap 41/57 – Leclerc retires! The engine breaks down and the Ferrari is parked on the side of the track. Reliability problems and retirement for Ferrari at the first GP.
Lap 45/57 – Alonso overtakes Sainz and takes third place. The double attempt at resistance by the Ferrari driver was in vain, the Aston Martin driver went towards the podium. Subsequently Sainz is also attacked by Hamilton, but manages to keep 4th place.
Checkered flag – It's a Red Bull double, Verstappen wins ahead of Perez with Alonso returning to the podium at 41 years and 7 months. 4th place for Sainz ahead of Hamilton, Stroll and Russell.
Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix 2023: Race Result.
Driver Standing.
Constructor Standing.
Source images: Formula 1.
176.869 SRY