The monster is back.
Triple reigning world champion, Max Verstappen (Red Bull) won the first Grand Prix of the season this Saturday in Bahrain.
On the Sakhir circuit, the Dutch driver crushed all competition to claim his eighth victory in a row, having ended the 2023 season like a cannonball.
Starting at the front of the grid, after already mastered qualifying, the paddock boss was never worried, finishing 22″457 ahead of his Mexican teammate, Sergio Perez.
Second at the start, Charles Leclerc (Ferrari), for his part, had a difficult start to the race, plagued by technical problems.
He finally finished 4th, overtaken by Carlos Sainz, author of a very offensive race to take third place on the podium.
The Alpine Blues missed out on their first weekend.
At the end of the grid after missed qualifying, Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly finished this first GP version of 2024 in anonymous 17th and 18th places.
A controlled first race which therefore allows Max Verstappen and his Red Bull team to start 2024 as they finished 2023: at the top of the drivers' classification and the manufacturers' classification.
Driver ranking at the end of the 1st round of the season:
1. Max Verstappen (NED): 26 points
2. Sergio Perez (MEX): 18 points
3. Carlos Sainz Jr (ESP): 15 points
4. Charles Leclerc (MON): 12 points
5. George Russell (GBR): 10 points
6. Lando Norris (GBR): 8 points
7. Lewis Hamilton (GBR): 6 points
8. Oscar Piastri (AUS): 4 points
9. Fernando Alonso (ESP): 2 points
10. Lance Stroll (CAN): 1 point
Alexander Albon (THA): 0 points
Valtteri Bottas (FIN): 0 points
Pierre Gasly (FRA): 0 points
Nico Hülkenberg (GER): 0 points
Kevin Magnussen (DEN): 0 points
Esteban Ocon (FRA): 0 points
Daniel Ricciardo (AUS): 0 points
Logan Sargeant (USA): 0 points
Yuki Tsunoda (JPN): 0 points
Zhou Guanyu (CHN): 0 points
Manufacturer ranking at the end of the 1st round of the season:
1. Red Bull: 44 points
2. Ferrari: 27 points
3. Mercedes: 16 points
4. McLaren: 12 points
5. Aston Martin: 3 points
Williams: 0 points
Haas F1 Team: 0 points
Alpine: 0 points
Stake F1 Team: 0 points
Racing Bulls: 0 points