Formula 1 started unchanged: Verstappen swept Red Bull, abandoned Ferrari and Alonso is pure illusion

Twenty Sundays passed, but nothing changed. THE Formula 1 started the 2023 season with the Bahrain Grand Prix How did the previous one end: the current two-time world champion Max Verstappen swept the track with his partner at Red Bull Sergio ‘Checo’ PerezTHE Ferrari disappointments accumulated with the abandonment of charles leclerc and the Spanish Fernando Alonso confirmed his expectation of being able to fight, at 41, aboard the Aston Martin.

“To get a podium in the first race of the year is incredible”reacted Alonso, two-time world champion (2005, 2006) and who reached the podium in the top category of motorsport for the 99th time.

- Advertisement -

But the weekend at the Sakhir circuit was dominated by pole position by the Dutchman, who set off without hesitation and began to build an undeniable difference thanks to the superlative performance of a Red Bull that seems unbeatable.

Red Bull knows how to manage not only the power of its vehicle, but also the durability of its tyres, where once again this Sunday they surprised with a strategy in which they used soft tires from the start, which didn’t have as much resistance in their rivals.

Ferrari, announced as the main opponent of the Austrian team, has relived some of the nightmares of last season, when due to a mechanical problem, the Monegasque Charles Leclerc was forced to retire twenty laps from the end.

“There was no power so it’s a shame because it’s these weekends that we have to maximize the points”lamented the 2022 runner-up in statements to Canal+.

Thus the script of last season in Bahrain was repeated, but with other protagonists, because that time it was the Red Bulls that were forced to abandon in the closing laps due to mechanical problems. This time, Verstappen managed to win in the desert and in a first on the calendar, in both elements for the first time in his career.

Ferrari managed to minimize the damage thanks to the Spaniard Carlos Sainz Jr, beaten on track by his compatriot Alonso in the fight for the podium, but defended the fourth position from the attacks of the Briton Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes).

Aston Martin, team revelation of the season after good results in the pre-season and in free practice this weekend, has placed its second driver Lance Stroll in sixth position, ahead of the other Mercedes, George Russell (7th).

“Congratulations to Lance (Stroll), operated on two days ago and now fighting against the whole world”, Alonso said after reaching the finish line. The Canadian was a doubt until the last minute due to a wrist injury.

Despite the final cordiality, things got off to a bad start on track for the Aston Martin duo: Alonso lost fifth position at the start and dropped to seventh to the advantage of both Mercedes after a small contact with Stroll.

But the Spaniard was able to make up ground, quickly passed Russell and engaged in an intense one-on-one with Hamilton mid-race, managing his way up to fifth place.

“We expected to start ahead of them (Mercedes) in the race but we didn’t have the best start so we had to overtake them, this gave us more adrenaline”explained the 41-year veteran pilot.

“I hope people liked it, I liked it”he smiled that he was on the podium again after a year and four months (the last time was in 2021).

the Finnish Valtteri Bottas (Alfa Romeo), French Pierre Gasley (Alpine), who recovered from 20th and last position, and the Thai Alessandro Albano (Williams) rounded out the “Top 10”.

The next Formula 1 Grand Prix will take place at the Jeddah circuit in Saudi Arabia from 17 to 19 March.