MOTORSPORT: Verstappen wins Bahrain F1 opener

The start of the new Formula 1 season has provided a continuation of the last, with Max Verstappen romping to victory in the Bahrain Grand Prix from pole position with the fastest lap of the race.

The result was a mirror image of the first GP from last year, with Verstappen heading home his Red Bull stablemate, Sergio Perez, this time with a margin of 22sec – some 10sec more than last year.

For Verstappen, the win was the 55th of his career, meaning that he has led the championship for the past 40 races, with the success being his eighth in a row since Japan last September.

“It’s unbelievable. I think today went even better than expected. I think the car was really nice to drive, on every [tyre] compound. I think we had a lot of pace,” said Verstappen.

“It was just super enjoyable to drive today. We really stayed out of trouble and it’s a great start to the year – it couldn’t have been better.

“It’s always very special to have these kind of days because they don’t happen that often, that it just all goes perfect, you are at one with the car and everything just feels great.”

Verstappen won the race to the first corner, but behind him there was mayhem when Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) spun off the nose of Nico Hulkenberg (Haas), with the latter headed to the pits for a replacement front wing.

George Russell (Mercedes) was an early mover, forging into second past Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) on lap three of 57, while Perez soon overtook the Monegasque driver.

On the tenth lap, Logan Sargeant ran his Williams off course, and following some consternation, was able to resume in the race, while on the next circuit, the two Ferraris battled hard, with Sainz taking the ascendancy.

After the first round of pit stops, Verstappen led from Perez, Sainz, Russell and Leclerc.

Valtteri Bottas’s race unravelled on lap 32 with a tardy wheel nut costing him a minute in the Stake pits, while three circuits later, Oscar Piastri (McLaren) merged onto the track into the path of Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes), with the seven-time world champion getting the upper hand exiting the opening sequence of corners.

Meanwhile, pressure from Leclerc paid dividends on lap 46 when Russell locked up and dropped a position.

At the chequered flag it was Verstappen from Perez then Sainz and Leclerc in a strong start for Ferrari.

Russell was the best of the rest at the head of the British trio of Lando Norris, and Hamilton, with the points finishers rounded out by Piastri, and the Aston Martins of Fernando Alonso and Stroll.

Other major talking points post-race included an intrateam battle at RB, where Yuki Tsunoda was asked to move over for stablemate Daniel Ricciardo.

The pair finished 13th and 14th, with the Aussie pressuring Kevin Magnussen (Haas) in the closing laps.

Elsewhere, the Alpine squad made a shocking start to the season, with Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly lacking pace throughout the weekend, before being classified in 16th and 17th.

The Formula 1 season continues next weekend in Saudi Arabia with another Sunday morning race for Australian fans.

2024 Bahrain Grand Prix results:

2024 Formula 1 championship standings:

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