Max cruises to victory

BAHRAIN - World champion Max Verstappen claimed his maiden season-opening victory and first at the Sakhir circuit yesterday when he led Sergio Perez home in a dominant Red Bull onetwo at the Bahrain Grand Prix.

The defending double world champion led from start to finish, bar the pit stops, to establish himself as a strong favourite for a third consecutive drivers’ crown this year.

It was his first win in the Gulf state at the 10th attempt.

Continued

Behind the two Red Bulls, twotime champion Fernando Alonso continued to make light of his 41 years by storming his way to a rousing third place for Aston Martin in his first appearance with the team since succeeding the retired fourtime champion Sebastian Vettel.

It was his record-increasing 356th race in Formula One in a career that started 22 years earlier, to the weekend, in Melbourne at the 2001 Australian Grand Prix.

Max Verstappen Oracle Red Bull 1:33:56.736

Sergio Pérez Oracle Red Bull +11.987

POS DRIVER TEAM TIME

4 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 48.052 5 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes AMG 50.977 6 Lance Stroll Aston Martin 54.502 7 George Russell Mercedes AMG 55.873 8 Valtteri Bottas Alfa Romeo 72.753 9 Pierre Gasly BWT Alpine 73.753 10 A. Albon Williams Racing 89.774 11 Yuki Tsunoda Scuderia 90.870 12 L. Sargeant Williams Racing 1 LAP(s) 13 K. Magnussen Haas F1 Team 1 LAP(s) 14 Nyck de Vries Scuderia 1 LAP(s) 15 N. Hülkenberg Haas F1 Team 1 LAP(s) 16 Guanyu Zhou Alfa Romeo 1 LAP(s) 17 Lando Norris McLaren 2 LAP(s) 18 Esteban Ocon BWT Alpine 16LAP(s) 19 C. Leclerc Scuderia Ferrari 18 LAP(s) 20 Oscar Piastri McLaren 44 LAP(s)

Sunday, March 19, 2023 Saudi Arabia GP Jeddah Corniche Circuit.

Sunday, April 2, 2023 Australia GP Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit-Albert Park.