Status: 05.03.2023 5:38 p.m
New season, old picture: Max Verstappen won the first race of the new year in Formula 1. In Bahrain, the world champion managed a superior start-finish victory on Sunday (March 5th, 2023). Nico Hulkenberg experienced a complicated comeback.
The start of the race in Bahrain had a lot to offer straight away. There were first collisions, some position changes and one big loser: Nico Hulkenberg. The German driver lost four places on his comeback in Formula 1, dropping from tenth to 14th place in the first few meters.
After Hülkenberg only occasionally played as a substitute for two years, he has been back as a starting pilot since this season. The 35-year-old is the successor to Mick Schumacher, who now has to wait for his chance, and will start for Team Haas.
Verstappen sovereign
Max Verstappen held his own at the top, but behind him his teammate Sergio Perez had to lose second place. In a gripping duel against Charles Leclerc, in which there was also a slight contact, the Red Bull driver was at a disadvantage and went in pursuit of the Frenchman.
However, Perez did not manage to endanger his opponent at first. Meanwhile, Verstappen effortlessly took first place from the competition, after ten laps his lead was already more than eight seconds.
Mercedes far away from old dominance
Had problems like last season Mercedes. Lewis Hamilton moved up from seventh to fifth at the start, but was then unable to keep up with the drivers in front of him. However, he was able to maintain his position for the time being – unlike his teammate George Russell.
He was involved in the first gripping racing duel of the season. Fernando Alonso tried to overtake the Brit over several laps, and in the end the veteran prevailed against the youngster despite vehement resistance. And the next bad news for Russell came shortly after, there was a problem with the first pit stop and he lost so much time that Alonso was able to hold his sixth position.
Even pit stops cannot stop the world champion
The first stops generally did not bring any changes at the top. It was only halfway through the race that there was another exciting duel after Perez had gradually worked his way up to Leclerc. The Spaniard overtook on lap 26, making Red Bull’s one-two lead perfect. Verstappen was already far ahead with just under 14 seconds.
The dominance of the Dutchman continued in the new season. Verstappen had won 15 of 22 races in his second world title, and now everything indicated that the start in Bahrain would also go to him. A year ago, Leclerc was still successful in the desert state.
Meanwhile, at Hülkenberg, it turned out that a damaged front wing was causing problems. The only German Formula 1 driver this season reported back after the exchange, in the 30th lap Hülkenberg drove the fastest lap in the meantime – but he did not hold his top position for long. Points were long out of reach at the time, Hülkenberg was 17th, in the end he was 15th.
Alonso becomes a Mercedes fright
The top four were apparently set at this point – the two Red Bulls ahead of the two Ferraris. But behind it came a duel between two old masters. After Russell, Alonso also worked his way up to his Mercedes colleague Hamilton and dared the decisive attack on lap 39 – and he succeeded.
The 41-year-old made his second successful overtaking maneuver against Mercedes and was fifth. At least for now, as Hamilton stayed put and tried to reclaim his place. However in vain.
Ferrari loses Leclerc and third place
Alonso pulled away and chased his compatriot Carlos Sainz in the Ferrari. Before the merger came about, however, there was dramatically bad news for the Italians: in a right-hand bend, Leclerc suddenly suffered damage and retired from the race in third place. “We have a lot of work ahead of us. In qualifying, our car looks like it’s where it should be, but not in the race,” said the disappointed 25-year-old, who started the race from third place.
Alonso and Hamilton, who was still only a second behind the man in front, now had the chance to grab another place on the podium. And Sainz the task of saving the day for Ferrari in third place.
But it quickly became clear that this order would turn out to be quite hopeless. Alonso caught up within a few laps and had the significantly faster car compared to Sainz. On lap 46, the two-time world champion in the Aston Martin then secured third place in a duel against his compatriot.
Alonso completely in love with his car
Verstappen and Perez, on the other hand, kept out of all battles for positions and had a lead of over 25 seconds over the rest of the field. The only unanswered questions were behind them, but given Alonso’s strength, that no longer included who would take third place on the podium. “This car is great to drive,” enthused the Spaniard, who claimed his 98th Formula 1 podium just a few laps from the end.
Sainz, who defended fourth place against Hamilton, ensured damage limitation for the Ferrari team. A surprise came from Pierre Gasly, who drove the fastest lap of the race in ninth place and secured an extra point.
Source: sportschau.de