Formula 1: Max Verstappen wins Bahrain GP, Fernando Alonso returns to podium on Aston Martin debut

Max Verstappen led the way in which on the Bahrain GP as Red Bull clinched a one-two on Sunday, 5 March. Fernando Alonso returned to the rostrum in his first race as an Aston Martin driver.

Bahrain,UPDATED: Mar 5, 2023 23:59 IST

Max Verstappen, Sergio Perez and Fernando Alonso on the rostrum at Bahrain GP. (Reuters Photo)

By India Today Sports Desk: Max Verstappen and Red Bull made a dream begin to the Formula One season with a dominant one-two in Bahrain on Sunday, 5 March whereas Fernando Alonso joined the celebration with a podium on his Aston Martin debut.

Mexican Sergio Perez completed runner-up, a distant 11.9 seconds behind his double world champion workforce mate, as Red Bull celebrated their tenth win in 12 races stretching again to final July.

“Very lovely that, really good result. We had good race pace,” Verstappen advised the workforce on his slowing down lap. “Very happy with that. Thank you guys.

“That’s precisely the begin to the season we needed and wanted. An ideal one-two”.

As they celebrated and the night sky filled with fireworks, Ferrari were left licking their wounds again with Charles Leclerc sidelined by a loss of power while running in third place and Carlos Sainz then overtaken by Alonso.

Verstappen meanwhile cruised on untroubled from pole position.

It was the first time he had won in Bahrain and also the first time he had triumphed in a Formula One opener.

Leclerc had seized second place at the start from third on the grid and looked good for the podium until he slowed and pulled over 17 laps from the end, shouting “No, no, no! No energy” over the team radio.

Veteran double world champion Alonso, in his 356th race, then passed Sainz with a thrilling wheel-to-wheel move 12 laps from the end.

“This is a beautiful automobile to drive,” the 41-year-old Spaniard, the oldest driver in the race, told his jubilant team.

“To come right here and end on the rostrum within the first race of the 12 months, it’s wonderful what Aston Martin did over the winter to have the second finest automobile on race one. This is simply unreal,” he advised the group after the end.

Seven instances world champion Lewis Hamilton was fifth for Mercedes with Canadian Lance Stroll giving Aston Martin a bumper factors haul with sixth.

It was a exceptional drive from the younger Canadian, who broke each his wrists and massive toe in a biking accident in Spain two weeks in the past.

George Russell was seventh for Mercedes with Valtteri Bottas eighth for Alfa Romeo and Pierre Gasly ninth on his Alpine debut after becoming a member of from AlphaTauri and beginning the race in final place.

Alex Albon took the ultimate level for a markedly extra competitive-looking Williams.

Australian Oscar Piastri in the meantime retired 14 laps into his debut together with his stricken McLaren wheeled into the workforce storage after struggling an obvious electronics challenge.

The 21-year-old had complained of gearbox issues and mechanics swapped the steering wheel when he pitted however he couldn’t restart.

Edited By:

Kingshuk Kusari

Published On:

Mar 5, 2023