Max Verstappen took a dominant victory in the first race of the 2023 F1 season at the Bahrain GP as Red Bull secured a 1-2 finish with Sergio Perez in second.
Fernando Alonso showed that Aston Martin have the pace to challenge at the top of the grid by taking the team’s second-ever podium in third, after Charles Leclerc was forced to retire his Ferrari due to engine issues.
Carlos Sainz came over the line in fourth after holding off the chasing Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton in the closing stages, with his teammate George Russell in seventh ahead of the Alfa Romeo of Valtteri Bottas.
F1 2023 Bahrain GP Race Results
| Pos. | Driver | Team | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | 57/57 Laps |
| 2 | Sergio Perez | Red Bull | +11.987 |
| 3 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | +38.637 |
| 4 | Carlos Sainz | Ferrari | +48.052 |
| 5 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | +50.977 |
| 6 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin | +54.502 |
| 7 | George Russell | Mercedes | +55.873 |
| 8 | Valtteri Bottas | Alfa Romeo | +1:12.647 |
| 9 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine | +1:13.753 |
| 10 | Alex Albon | Williams | +1:29.774 |
| 11 | Yuki Tsunoda | AlphaTauri | +1:30.870 |
| 12 | Logan Sargeant | Williams | +1 lap |
| 13 | Kevin Magnussen | Haas | +1 lap |
| 14 | Nyck de Vries | AlphaTauri | +1 lap |
| 15 | Nico Hulkenberg | Haas | +1 lap |
| 16 | Zhou Guanyu | Alfa Romeo | +1 lap |
| 17 | Lando Norris | McLaren | +2 laps |
| 18 | Esteban Ocon | Alpine | DNF |
| 19 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | DNF |
| 20 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | DNF |
