Max Verstappen opened his title defense with an emphatic and chilling win at the Bahrain Grand Prix.
Looking for his third consecutive world championship, the Dutchman started on pole and finished 12 seconds in front. It was an ominous warning and it will take a small miracle to stop the charge on him anytime soon.
Sergio Pérez made it a perfect night for Red Bull in the tiny kingdom of the Gulf by completing one of the most predictable doubles in grand prix history.
Fernando Alonso, 38 seconds back, finished third for Aston Martin, but only after a nightmare for Ferrari, an apparent engine failure in the car of Charles Leclerc, then in third.
His misfortune came 17 laps from the end. “No, no, no, come on,” moaned the Monegasque. ‘No energy.’ He got on a scooter. Back in the garage, Piero Ferrari, the youngest and only surviving son of ‘old’ Enzo, removed his headphones. Ferrari huh! more change.
Max Verstappen opened his title defense with a resounding and chilling win at the Bahrain Grand Prix on Sunday afternoon.
Constructor Red Bull’s dominance continued in the Gulf kingdom in the first race of the new season with a predictable 1-2
Dutch star Verstappen, who is seeking his third straight championship, punched his car after finishing
His Red Bull teammate Sergio Pérez (right) finished second, with Spanish veteran Fernando Alonso (left) completing the podium.
Carlos Sainz was fourth for Ferrari after being overtaken, after a slight wheel knock, by Alonso on lap 46 of 57.
As for Mercedes, plagued by doubt and hopeless in the short term, the race went roughly no better and no worse than expected.
Lewis Hamilton finished fifth, 51 seconds back, and George Russell seventh, 56 seconds back. The couple were separated by Lance Stroll’s Aston.
They had started sixth and seventh, Russell ahead on the grid.
At an early stage, Russell asked: ‘Is Lewis driving (his tyres) or is he slow? Because I feel like I have a little more rhythm. To which came the answer: ‘Fighting, fighting’. That covered the predicament of him.
One of the best one-night duels that sizzled at times without spilling over, was Hamilton against Alonso.
The Spaniard started from his second stop on lap 35 a second and a half behind the Briton. Little by little he narrowed the gap.
On lap 39, Alonso pulled ahead at turn 4. He picked up too much pace in the turn, however, he lost form and let Hamilton pass again.
Fireworks exploded in the sky as heavy favorite Verstappen, 25, took the checkered flag in the Middle Eastern nation.
The podium trio could be much more successful in the 2023 campaign, given their highly competitive cars.
But it was more misery for Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, after his car had engine trouble and stalled while on track.
While British Mercedes superstar seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton finished fifth, well behind Red Bull and Ferrari.
He finally made his faster pace stick, launching around the inside six corners later, with a sharp left-hander. Aston Martin has made real progress.
But for all of them, Red Bull’s dominance was clear. Within the first 10 laps, Verstappen opened up a seven-second lead over Leclerc, who was in second place in that stage, having passed Perez by pulling his elbows out at the start.
Yeah, seven seconds, and you can bet he would have found fractions more rocket speed if he had to.
A miserable day for McLaren. Oscar Piastri retired. Lando Norris was in and out of the pits all night and finished last, two laps down.
Alonso was having fun: ‘This car is lovely to drive,’ he said. Yes, but Verstappen wouldn’t change it for him.