Max Verstappen won the Bahrain Grand Prix yesterday, and it seems as though his third Formula 1 World Championship could already be on the way.
The Dutchman had one of the most dominant races of his career, ending with an 11-second gap to his teammate Sergio Perez, but it was Fernando Alonso who stole all the headlines.
Aston Martin were quickly becoming favourites to rival Mercedes and Ferrari after pre-season testing and in the race, it was clear to see, with Alonso claiming the final podium spot.
A bit of luck was needed, however, as Charles Leclerc’s engine problems from last year continued and the Monegasque had to retire on Lap 39, causing the only Virtual Safety Car of the race.
"We definitely had the car to fight for the podium"
Frustration for Leclerc after retirement denies him and Ferrari a top three finish#BahrainGP #F1 https://t.co/lO59qIRwky
— Formula 1 (@F1) March 5, 2023
The Spaniard was then able to use DRS to his advantage and overtake compatriot Carlos Sainz, thus adding more pain on a struggling Ferrari team.
The only team who had a worse day than the Prancing Horse was McLaren, as Oscar Piastri’s debut race ended early through retirement and Lando Norris ended with six pit stops after nursing a problem throughout the 57 laps.
Mercedes also struggled but were still able to claim 16 points, through Lewis Hamilton’s fifth and George Russell’s seventh-place finishes, however, the Brits both expressed how they were not happy with their car’s performance.
Hamilton explained what needed to be changed ahead of Jeddah in a press release, “it was a fun tussle we had for a moment, but he [Alonso] was too quick. We are lacking a lot of downforce, and we’ve got a lot of work to do to add more to the car.”
As for his teammate, Russell had some optimism but also knew stated the team knows where they are, “we know the Team is good at developing and finding performance, but we are a long way behind where we want to be.”
Mercedes and McLaren will both look to find improvements for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, but with dominance from Red Bull and Ferrari last year, expect the same result at the street circuit.
