Dutch driver Max Verstappen (Red Bull) yesterday won the Bahrain Formula 1 Grand Prix, the opening round of the 2023 World Championship, which he dominated from start to finish – from pole – but also marked by the return of Spaniard Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) to the podiums.
The current two-time world champion crossed the finish line ahead of his team-mate, Mexican Sérgio Pérez, by 11.987 seconds, in what marked an important “double” for the Austrian team.
Fernando Alonso, who proved to be very fast all weekend in his Aston Martin, was already the big sensation of the race when he finished third, 38.637 seconds off first but ahead of Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) and the Mercedes of seven times world champion Lewis Hamilton, who did not get further than fifth place.
“Getting a podium in the first race of the year is incredible,” Alonso said afterwards, quoted by AFP.
Alonso, the oldest driver in the race (he is 41 years old), benefited from the retirement of Monegasque Charles Leclerc who suffered an engine failure in his Ferrari when he finished third, 16 laps from the end.
“I lost power, which is a shame because it’s these weekends where we have to maximize points,” Leclerc complained to Canal+.
But Aston Martin, which is equipped with Mercedes engines, is surprising this season, having already achieved good results in pre-season testing, as well as in free practice this weekend. And in this Grand Prix, Canadian Lance Stroll – who was riding with screws in his right wrist, which broke in a cycling accident – finished sixth, just behind Hamilton, but ahead of the other Mercedes, with George Russel.
Finn Valtteri Bottas (Alfa Romeo), Frenchman Pierre Gasly (Alpine) – who started from 20th and last on the grid – and Thai Alexander Albon (Williams) completed the top 10, which is worth points for the world championship.
Max Verstappen starts the attack on the title extension in the best way and gets 25 points. Perez is left with 18, Alonzo 15, Sainz 12, Hamilton 10, Stroll 8, Russell 6, Bottas 4, Gasly 2 and Albon 1 in the table.
Source: DN
