Max Verstappen. Photo: Courtesy of F1
“Lights out and away we go.” The 2023 Formula 1 season has officially kicked off with last night’s Bahrain Grand Prix. This Sunday, 20 drivers including multiple world champions and a number of rookies competed in an exciting race on the Sakhir circuit, which was won by Max Verstappen, followed by Sergio Perez in second place, and Fernando Alonso in third.
For two-time world champion Verstappen, it marked the first time the Dutch driver has claimed victory at a season opener and led a 1-2 win for Red Bull as Perez finished 11.9 seconds behind him. As for Aston Martin’s Alonso, who has also won two championships in the past, last night marked his first podium finish since the Qatar Grand Prix in 2021.
Ferando Alonso. Photo: Courtesy of F1
After starting at pole position, it was smooth sailing for Verstappen at Sakhir. “Very lovely that, really good result. We had good race pace. Very happy with that,” he said over the team radio after crossing the chequered flag. “Thank you guys. That is exactly the start to the season we wanted and needed.” There was also a podium in sight for Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, who was running in third place and about 17 laps from the finish line when he had to retire due to an engine failure. “It is a shame,” the Monegasque driver said post-race. “I hope we can look into it and understand what went wrong.” However, the Italian team did end up with points due to Carlos Sainz Jr finishing fourth.
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Lewis Hamilton from Mercedes-AMG, who is chasing a record-breaking eighth world championship, took fifth place, while his fellow British teammate George Russell, came seventh. Aston Martin claimed another spot in the top 10 with Lance Stroll taking the sixth position despite a wrist injury, while Alfa Romeo, Alpine, and Williams had one driver each as Valtteri Bottas, Pierre Gasly, and Alex Albon finished eighth, ninth, and tenth respectively.
Two weeks from now, the grid will convene at another Middle Eastern stop for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in Jeddah on March 17-19. Among this season’s 23-race calendar are two other Arab countries on the map: the Qatar Grand Prix in Lusail on October 6-8, and the final Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in the UAE on November 24-26.
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