Prancing stallion or a pony? Ferrari is already off the pace after Bahrain opener

Well, well, well. The 2023 Formula 1 season has finally kicked off with a bang, and what a race it was in Bahrain. From the start, it was clear that this season would be tough, especially for the Ferrari team.

Let's dive into what went wrong for them in this race.

Firstly, it was a tough day for Charles Leclerc. He started the race in third place, and things were looking good for him in the early stages. However, disaster struck on Lap 41 when his engine failed, forcing him to retire from the race.

Let's hope the scene of Leclerc being ferried off the track on a humble scooter - from a prancing stallion to a pony - after his Ferrari went from flat-out to just flat is not a sign of things to come. It was a massive blow for Leclerc and Ferrari, who were hoping for a solid start to the season.

But that wasn't the end of Ferrari's troubles. Carlos Sainz, now in his third year with the team, was having a decent race. He started in fourth place and inherited third after Leclerc's retirement. However, in the race's closing stages, he was overtaken by Fernando Alonso in the Aston Martin and eventually settled for fourth place.

Charles takes the setback in his stride ??#BahrainGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/uautfUi2IJ

On the back foot

So, what does this mean for Ferrari's championship hopes in 2023? Well, it certainly puts them on the back foot. With Leclerc retiring and Sainz only finishing in fourth, they've lost valuable points in the Constructors' Championship.

And it's not just the Bahrain race that's the problem - it's the fact that Red Bull's Max Verstappen is again looking like the man to beat this year.

READ: 'It's just unreal!' Elated Alonso buzzing after epic podium finish

Verstappen's win in Bahrain gave his confidence a shot, and