The domain that max verstappen (Red Bull) showed on Saturday in the classification of the Bahrain Grand Prix continued on Sunday. Thus the two-time Dutch champion began the 2023 season of the Formula 1 with a magnificent triumph and demonstrated his ambition to extend his reign in the Maxima.
Verstappen had no problems at the start. He took the lead from the start and quickly distanced himself from the Monegasque charles leclerc (Ferrari), who moved up one place by taking advantage of a bad start from Sergio “Checo” Perez (Red Bull). Spanish further back Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) closed the leading lot during the first lap.
Photo: Mark Thompson/Getty Images.
No one could keep up with Verstappen, who without any kind of inconvenience went straight to his 36th win in 164 races in F.1 and led the double completed by Checo Pérez, far from the performance of his teammate.
But the lack of the fight for the top was compensated by the outstanding work of the Spanish Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin), who in the first meters suffered an unusual touch from his Canadian teammate Lance Stroll.
Photo: Mark Thompson/Getty Images.
Fortunately, the incident did not affect the performance of his car and this allowed the two-time champion to recover the lost places and then stay in the Top 6 while waiting for opportunities that he knew how to take advantage of.
He made a profit from Leclerc’s abandonment and also got rid of the Englishman lewis hamilton (Mercedes) and his compatriot Sainz to achieve his first podium on his debut with the British team and the 99° in his campaign in the specialty.
Despite this first lap incident, Stroll achieved a creditable sixth place (he started eighth) as he raced with the aftermath of his bike accident: both wrists and a broken toe.
After this GP in Sakhir, F.1 will make a new presentation in the Middle East with the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix on the 19th of this month.
