Max Verstappen picks up where he left off: winning and inaugurating the 2023 season of the Formula 1 World Championship in the best possible way. The flying Dutchman dominated the Bahrain Grand Prix and everyone behind him chased his Red Bull, perfect in every situation. competition, capable of offering flawless, high-profile performance.
The pace imposed by the reigning two-time world champion immediately appeared unsustainable for the opponents who gradually broke away.
In the end, the other Red Bull driven by Mexican Sergio Perez and a formidable Aston Martin driven with great skill by the timeless Asturian Fernando Alonso finished behind the Dutchman.
And the Ferraris?
Charles Leclerc made a good start, gaining second position, but on lap 41 he had to park his 'red'
ANSA agency
F1, Leclerc: 'We are far away, they are in another category' - F1
The Ferrari driver: 'And yet we were close in qualifying' (ANSA)
If not a surrender, the recognition of a fairly clear supremacy.
The Monegasque appeared demoralized, losing further certainties.
Already in the morning the omens had not been good, since a new electric unit and a new battery had been installed on his Ferrari: two interventions that do not involve penalties, but give an idea of the situation.
There will be time to study, and possibly understand, the technical problem that stopped Ferrari;
the fact remains that the prologue to the championship season for the Maranello company was disastrous.
Small consolation was the fourth place of the Spanish Carlos Sainz Junior, who repulsed the assaults of the highly decorated British Lewis Hamilton, maintaining the placement that puts him at the foot of the podium.
Perhaps too much is expected of Ferrari every year, and probably the
error is all here.
The start was positive for Leclerc who settled in second place, behind Verstappen: the Dutchman, after a few laps, was already on the run for victory.
Well done Leclerc to override Perez's Red Bull and keep the hope of the Ferrari fans alive.
Alonso was first slipped by Hamilton, then touched by Stroll: the Spaniard's car had no consequences, as he raised his head and began to press seriously on the accelerator, from the top of his 41 years of age and a enviable experience.
Well done Leclerc to override Perez's Red Bull and keep the hope of the Ferrari fans alive.
Alonso was first slipped by Hamilton, then touched by Stroll: the Spaniard's car had no consequences, as he raised his head and began to press seriously on the accelerator, from the top of his 41 years of age and a enviable experience.
Well done Leclerc to override Perez's Red Bull and keep the hope of the Ferrari fans alive.
Alonso was first slipped by Hamilton, then touched by Stroll: the Spaniard's car had no consequences, as he raised his head and began to press seriously on the accelerator, from the top of his 41 years of age and a enviable experience.
ANSA agency
F1, Vasseur: "Ferrari's first problem is reliability" - F1
"The degradation compared to Red Bull was not good, we have to start from here and do our best to resolve the situation in the coming weeks. (ANSA)
Before starting the comeback, the former Ferrari driver was also overtaken by Russell, paying the price for the lack of grip due to the previous contact.
Verstappen began to take flight, between a tire change and a rev: in about ten laps he inflicted an 8" gap on Ferrari. The superiority of the world champion's car in race pace was immediately felt, absolutely out of the reach of the The Ferraris, who stopped at the same time, opted for the hard tire and, shortly after, Red Bull switched to the 'soft'. Details that certified Red Bull's dominance. The second stop was fatal to Leclerc who he stopped shortly after and, head bowed, very disappointed, left the car parked on the side of the track.
Bitter ending of a Grand Prix which was supposed to allow him to send a precise and direct message to his Dutch rival.
Instead, once again, around Maranello, we will have to investigate and understand, but above all find the right reliability in view of the second round of the season, in Saudi Arabia on 19 March.