Max Verstappen won the Bahrain Grand Prix, the first of the 2023 Formula One season. He took an absolutely dominant victory for Red Bull from pole to flag, in complete control at the Sakhir circuit as he put what looks to be a fearsomely competitive championship contender car through its paces with ease.
He beat his Red Bull teammate Sergio Pérez into second with Fernando Alonso taking a superb third for Aston Martin. Alonso’s place confirmed the form Aston have shown all weekend and that they are now very much competing among the big three teams.
Indeed they looked comfortably quicker than the Mercedes for whom Lewis Hamilton and George Russell could manage only fifth and seventh respectively as their cars struggled, as they did all weekend.
Ferrari, unable to match Red Bull for pace, also suffered a demoralising failure when Charles Leclerc had to retire with an engine problem while in third place.