F1 Bahrain Grand Prix driver ratings as Charles Leclerc takes first race win of 2022 season

Charles Leclerc won the first race of the 2022 Formula 1 season for Ferrari after coming out on trop in a thrilling battle with Max Verstappen in Bahrain.

The Monegasque started on pole and showed great speed and composure throughout the race at Sakhir to take just the third victory of his career as F1 entered a new era with totally revamped cars.

Reigning champion Verstappen suffered a devastating engine failure on the penultimate lap, meaning Leclerc’s team-mate Carlos Sainz finished second while Lewis Hamilton took third.

Here is how all 20 drivers performed in Bahrain.

1 Charles Leclerc — Ferrari — 8/10

Picked his moments expertly when tussling with Verstappen in a sensational battle for the lead after the first round of pit stops, which combined with his evident natural pace delivered a thoroughly well deserved victory.

A serious contender for the drivers’ championship this year.

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2 Carlos Sainz — Ferrari — 7/10

A strong result on the first day of the new season but will be disappointed to have finished so far behind his team-mate, who seems to have a better handle on the F1-75 as things stand. More to come from him.

3 Lewis Hamilton — Mercedes — 7/10

Started well and passed Perez for fourth-place but simply couldn’t match the Red Bulls’ pace once the Mexican had caught back up. Struggled on the hard tyres in his second stint but capitalised on Red Bull’s woes to take an unexpected podium and will be very pleased with that result.

4 George Russell — Mercedes — 6/10

Similar story to Hamilton but