Tag: Results

McLaren chief Zak Brown has revealed Lando Norris does not have an exit clause from his contract and believes the Briton will be “along for the journey” as the team look to improve.

The 23-year-old has established himself as one of most highly-rated drivers in the sport but he is yet to claim a race win, and looks further away than ever from doing so with McLaren struggling at the start of the 2023 season.

Having signed a contract extension in February 2022, Norris is tied to the team until the end of the 2025 campaign, but his future remains a major talking point with McLaren’s woes continuing.

Despite near-constant chatter surrounding Norris’ future, McLaren chief executive Brown insists the driver’s current focus is on the team’s goal to build a “championship winning car” over the next two years.

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Norris says he has faith in the team’s decisions after McLaren parted ways with technical director James Key as part of a series of organisational changes

“He has zero exit clauses,” Brown told Sky Sports F1 on Thursday in Melbourne ahead of this weekend’s Australian Grand Prix.

“Ultimately, when his contract is next up, if we are not performing and he doesn’t feel he can win races and can compete for the championship, then I think anybody, driver or team member for that matter [would be considering leaving], we are all here to win.

“He has got a contract with us and, most importantly, he is very happy here and he sees the progress that we are making, and he is a team player.

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Ride onboard with both McLaren drivers, Oscar Piastri and Norris as they battled for position at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix

“So, even contracts aside, it is about that he is in a happy environment, he is along for the journey, and we have got some time to prove to him that we are going to give him a car capable of winning.

“Right now it is pretty easy but if we are sitting here in two years’ time and his contract is nearing the end, then it is a different situation if we are not performing and I would understand him going ‘I need to get into a winning race car’.

“But, right now, I think we are all focused on working together to get that car so I think it is too early to be worried about anything other than having a good weekend.”

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Sky F1’s Martin Brundle gives his thoughts on Norris’ situation at McLaren, following a worrying start to the year in Bahrain. You can listen to the latest episode of the Sky Sports F1 Podcast now

Brown also praised Norris’ rookie team-mate Oscar Piastri, who will make his home F1 debut at Albert Park.

“I am very happy with our driver line-up. I think Lando has a tremendous amount of experience,” Brown added. “It is now his fifth season which is crazy to think given how young he is.

“Oscar looks to be a sensational rookie and we are very excited and he did a great job in Saudi and he has done through testing.

“I think our driver line-up is one of our big strengths right now and I am excited to all work together to give them the car that they need to get to the front because I think we have two drivers who are championship calibre.”

‘Stella has right qualities to oversee new structure’

The renewed vision at McLaren to build “a winning race car” comes off the back of structural changes, with executive technical director James Key departing and three new specialised technical director roles introduced, all reporting directly to team principal Andrea Stella.

The technical executive team will include Peter Prodromou, who has been promoted into the role of technical director of aerodynamics, David Sanchez, who will be responsible for the car concept and performance after a decade with Ferrari, and Neil Houldey, who has been with McLaren since 2006, and is promoted into the newly-created role of technical director of engineering and design.

Despite the shake-up being perceived by many as a response to a poor start to the season, Brown insists they are changes that have long been in the works.

“I would characterise the start of the year as things aren’t as bad as they look, but not as good as they should be,” Brown added.

“We had some issues in testing for a second year in a row, which is unacceptable.

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Karun Chandhok shares his most memorable moments and looks ahead to a big weekend for Piastri at his first Australian Grand Prix

“Bahrain, we weren’t nearly as competitive as we would like to be. We had two technical issues, one within our control, one not.

“Then in Saudi, we were pretty competitive in practice and qualifying. Lando had a small and unusual incident for him and Oscar had a great qualifying run, which was great to see how competitive he is.

“So, that means the changes are not in response to a poor start to the year, they actually date back to the second half of last year when I saw some things I wasn’t happy with.

“The progression of our race car and our performance, we had a team principal change, and then as soon as Andrea started, who is very technical, the first thing I asked him to do was review where we were and why we weren’t performing at a higher level.

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Piastri finds the whole track blocked during a flying lap in P2 of the Saudi Arabian GP

“He set about doing a lot of consulting and fortunately he had been with the team for some time and ultimately he decided we needed a new model and so we went forward with putting that in place.

“We announced it last week, but these things are always a little bit in the works.”

A lot of faith is being placed into Stella but, for Brown, his technical ability coupled with his “rich racing history” leaves no doubt he is the best man for the job.

“He has got a lot of great qualities. One, he already knows what winning looks like,” Brown said.

“He has got a rich history with some of the best racing drivers in the world.

“He is very much a people culture driven individual so he really knows how to rally a team and we are a big team of people and he is very technical.

“So, I thought he had the best combination of technically understanding what changes we needed to make and how to bring a high performance team together.

“We are at the start of that journey of Andrea’s vision which I fully support and there is a lot of excitement inside the racing team.”

Watch the Australian Grand Prix live on Sky Sports F1 this weekend, with Sunday’s race live at 6am. Get Sky Sports

After a dramatic Saudi Arabian Grand Prix weekend, Sky Sports F1’s Martin Brundle reflects on the battle between the Red Bulls and the penalty madness that eventually saw Fernando Alonso claim his 100th podium.

In the end, it was another show of total domination by Red Bull in Jeddah. I have to be honest and say that when Max Verstappen had a driveshaft problem in qualifying meaning that he would start 15th on the grid, I was quietly pleased, relieved, and energised. Nothing against Max and his incredible talent, but at least we would have something to look forward to on race day.

With Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari also somewhat shockingly taking a grid penalty in just the second round of a 23-race season – for exceeding electronic control unit allowances – and starting down in 12th, there was guaranteed to be some movement.

The Jeddah Corniche track looks spectacular (at night) and the first sector of the lap is one of the best in the world, right up there with the likes of Suzuka. F1 cars flow with explosive speed, and the proximity of the walls magnifies that.

As usual in F1 however, when we have incidents and accidents, work is soon carried out to move walls, remove bumps, lower kerbs, and provide run off. One of the worst examples of that is the ‘champions’ wall’ in Montreal, and the outside wall in the final Turn 27 in Jeddah.

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Check out all of Max Verstappen’s overtakes from the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix where he started on P15 and finished on P2

The result of all this is that you then have significantly fewer incidents to talk about. I’m not being gung-ho and wishing for more crashes, but I like to see challenges and jeopardy which rewards the skilful and punishes the less accurate drivers.

In the perfect world, many would like a billiard table smooth surface, with kerbs a coat of paint high, along with very few downside risks. That’s no good for the show. Regardless, this track definitely opens the eyes of the drivers with its high speed and blind sections.

Sergio Perez secured pole position despite not getting his second run together, but Verstappen wasn’t around to highlight that. Leclerc was outstanding for Ferrari until his 10-place grid drop. And then came Fernando Alonso, who looks so determined at the moment you wouldn’t even want to get in his way as he walks through the paddock.

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Martin Brundle bumps into Hollywood star Will Smith on his grid walk ahead of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix

Red Bull’s dominant speed has put many teams and their key personnel under big pressure, not least Mercedes, Ferrari and McLaren. I’ve rarely witnessed such a broad challenge across so many teams and they’ll be looking to hire experienced talent from other teams, who are themselves still feverishly protecting the people they already have under contract and collecting up other talents. Add in Audi (currently Sauber Alfa Romeo) on a major recruitment crusade ready for 2026 and, despite the cost cap, it’s a seller’s market for people who know how a Formula One team and car really works.

Alonso ensures drama from the start

There was drama in the race even before the lights went out as front-row man Alonso parked slightly left of his grid slot. Fernando has always wanted to sit low in cars for better centre of gravity and air box airflow, and basically can’t see out of the Aston Martin at parking speeds. After briefly leading the race, Fernando did a sterling job in building enough of a gap to George Russell’s Mercedes, which was running in third at that time, to negate the five-second penalty he had received for his sloppy car positioning.

He was able to serve that during a Safety Car pit stop, ironically deployed when the sister Aston Martin in the hands of Lance Stroll broke down on track. Stroll did a fine job of parking in a service road and the Safety Car was not actually needed, but apparently, the GPS in race control said he was still on track. The actual camera angles suggested otherwise…

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Sky F1’s Ted Kravitz explains the procedure which saw Fernando Alonso reinstated to the podium after having initially been demoted

Fernando looked favourite to win division two and the final podium spot despite using more tyre life to impressively hold on to Perez in front of him. He had no hope of holding off the ever-advancing Verstappen, who benefitted dramatically from the Safety Car. The third-place trophy would be Fernando’s, but only after a couple of rounds of ‘pass the parcel’.

As he served his penalty in the pit lane, the rear jack was casually put into place ready to service the car at the end of the five seconds. This was pointed out to race control – presumably by Mercedes – as an infraction of the rules. Inevitably in previous team meetings this issue, whether positioning jacks constituted ‘working on the car’, had been discussed. There were obviously different recollections of the outcome of those discussions but it’s pretty clear that gently bumping into the front jack is all part of an F1 car arriving into its service zone.

The first Aston Martin heard of this was feedback from our Sky Sports F1 commentary, which is part of many teams’ broad spectrum of live analysis during track action. We had picked up on Mercedes telling George Russell to stay within five seconds of Fernando suggesting they thought a penalty was coming his way, and I remembered being surprised by how the rear jack was positioned during the penalty time.

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George Russell’s battle for P3 followed some confusion around Alonso’s five-second penalty at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix

Esteban Ocon and Alpine had been penalised 10 seconds for a penalty-serving infringement two weeks earlier in Bahrain, and sure enough post-race Aston were informed of the breach and penalty. Cue lots of unhappy people, and a few happy folk. The trophy made its way to George Russell who received it with some dignity, saying he thought Fernando deserved third place.

By the time Aston had made their case that it had been agreed by discussion and precedents that the jacks can touch the car but not lift it, the trophy was winging its way back along the paddock to confirm Alonso’s 100th podium in F1. All rather embarrassing and this will be tightened up before the next race in Australia.

Perez denies Verstappen | Russell beats downcast Hamilton

Perez out front matched whatever his team-mate Verstappen could muster speed-wise and duly won the race in fine style. His fifth victory, four of which have been on street circuits – but more significantly his first victory when Max was second.

Verstappen stole the fastest lap championship point on the final tour and that clearly annoyed Perez, who was surprised the team didn’t call off the fight when they had a one-two easily in the bag and he was suffering with a longer brake pedal, and unbeknown to him, Max was feeling a vibration in his transmission.

Team Verstappen were perhaps surprised that Perez could match their pace, and they were no doubt annoyed that it was ultimately the qualifying car issue which prevented Max setting a new record of 16 victories in 21 races.

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Sergio Perez questions instructions to go slower than his team-mate Verstappen during the final laps of the Saudi GP

Elsewhere George Russell did a fine job for Mercedes all weekend and out-qualified Lewis for the second time this season. Lewis has parted company with his apparently (to me anyway) indispensable physio and confidante Angela Cullen, and also said he can’t connect with this car. His chin was down for much of the weekend and he wasn’t ultimately able to benefit from good timing with the Safety Car and switching to faster medium compound tyres when all around him were on hard tyres to the finish.

Mercedes are seemingly quite excited about developments coming in the next few races and months. Nonetheless, they were still comfortably faster than the Ferraris who went nowhere in the second phase of the race on hard tyres. The timing of the Safety Car didn’t help them either, but there’s much work to do in Maranello.

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Lewis Hamilton and George Russell acknowledged Red Bull are clear frontrunners

Alpine looked solid at this high-speed track and came home a pleasing eighth and ninth, although that would have been a place lower without Stroll’s retirement. Nonetheless some decent points.

The final hard-earned point went to Haas’s Kevin Magnussen after a fine drive and some great racing with Alpha Tauri’s Yuki Tsunoda. Along with Nico Hulkenberg, having two experienced drivers is paying off for Haas right now.

There was also a tremendous scrap between McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris, and Williams’ Logan Sargeant. Yes, I hear you, it was over 15th, 16th and 17th, but we may well need those moments this season given the relentless pace of the Red Bull, especially with its DRS rear wing open.

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Ride onboard with McLaren drivers Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris as they battled for position

It’s been a very difficult start to the year for Lando with two 17th places and he’ll be desperate to turn that around in Melbourne next time out. He has the talent in bucket loads, but Piastri is showing very well already. Shockingly McLaren are last in the constructors’ standings at the moment, on zero points along with Alpha Tauri.

And so, as we watch the tensions between the drivers at Red Bull, we patiently await the rest of the field to find some speed. In fact, lots of speed.

MB

Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz were off the pace for Ferrari in both of Friday’s practice sessions at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix; Both Ferraris have taken new power
units in Jeddah; Watch Saudi Arabian GP final practice live on Saturday at 1.30pm on Sky Sports F1

Ferrari duo Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz remain optimistic over their chances at this weekend’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix despite the team’s ongoing engine concerns.

It had been confirmed earlier in the week that Leclerc would be taking a 10-place grid penalty in Jeddah after technical issues at the season-opener in Bahrain saw him retire and use up each of the two control electronics systems that each driver is permitted for the campaign, but more bad news was to follow.

Shortly after Friday’s opening practice session began, the FIA confirmed both Ferraris had also taken new power units, which will not instantly cause any further penalties but could lead to infringements later in the season, and is a concerning reflection on the team’s confidence in its reliability.

With the new power units in place, they then delivered an underwhelming display on a track where most had expected them to be far closer to early-season pacesetters Red Bull than had been the case in Bahrain.

Sainz’s seventh in first practice was their highest placing of the day, with Leclerc finishing ninth, a place ahead of his team-mate in the second session, in which the night-time conditions mirror those that Saturday’s qualifying and Sunday’s race will take place in.

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Max Verstappen tops the timing sheet in P1 of the Saudi Arabian GP with his final run of the session.

The fact that the Ferraris were almost a second back from reigning world champion Max Verstappen led to suspicions that they had been operating with their engines turned down, which Leclerc confirmed after the session.

“I don’t think we are that bad,” Leclerc said.

“Honestly, the feeling is pretty good but very difficult to read into the performance because everybody is doing different things with power, weight etc.

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Despite receiving a 10-place grid penalty, Charles Leclerc is optimistic that Ferrari will perform better at the upcoming Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

“But the feeling was quite okay, and the race pace seems to be better than Bahrain so it’s positive.

“We have quite a bit in the locker. How much? Let’s see.

“I’m sure Red Bull still has something hidden, so we’ll see tomorrow but I think it will be closer than what it is for now.”

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Oscar Piastri finds the whole track blocked during a flying lap in P2 of the Saudi Arabian GP.

Even with Ferrari’s engines running below full capacity, Leclerc complained during second practice over apparent issues, but insisted afterwards that “there was nothing wrong”.

“There were a few moments where I upshifted on kerbs which doesn’t put the engine in the best situation, so I complained just to make sure that everything was fine.”

Sainz: ‘Our position today doesn’t reflect our true pace’

Sainz had said on Thursday that Ferrari were in a “bad situation”, and confirmation that he was also taking a new engine on Friday added context to those comments.

The Spaniard, who shoulders Ferrari’s hopes of challenging Red Bull – and beating Aston Martin and Mercedes – given Leclerc’s grid penalty, was also optimistic regarding the car’s pace.

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Karun Chandhok updates us on the track changes for this year’s Saudi Arabian GP at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit.

“I feel closer than Bahrain,” said Sainz, who finished fourth behind the Red Bulls and Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso in the season-opener.

“Our position today doesn’t reflect our true pace.

“We look competitive in the long runs so I am more positive going into the weekend.

“Red Bull are clear favourites but Aston Martin and Mercedes are there with us in terms of pace.

“The overall feeling, I feel closer. If it’s enough to be on the podium or battle at the top we will see on Sunday.”

‘Ferrari will be in the fight for pole’

Sky Sports F1’s Karun Chandhok said he expects Ferrari to be in the fight for pole on Saturday, despite admitting their start to the season has been far from ideal.

“Their fans took a lot of beating last year and everyone was hoping this year was going to start differently, and it hasn’t so far,” Chandhok said.

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Look back at Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen’s epic battle for the win at the Jeddah Circuit in 2022.

“I do think Ferrari were holding back. I do think with all the reliability concerns they’ve got, they haven’t turned the engines up as much as they’d like on a Friday.

“I expect them, certainly in qualifying, to be right in the fight for pole position. What happens in the race, we’ll see as time unfolds.

Sky Sports F1’s Damon Hill added: “It’s a shame, isn’t it? You can build the nicest car in the world but if it hasn’t got a motor, it doesn’t go anywhere.”

Formula 1 street racing is back! Watch the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix live on Sky Sports F1 this weekend. Saturday’s qualifying and Sunday’s race are live at 5pm. Get Sky Sports

Lewis Hamilton’s future has become a subject of speculation after Mercedes’ disappointing start to the 2023 Formula 1 season; Listen to the latest episode of the Sky Sports F1 Podcast now; watch the Saudi Arabian GP live on Sky Sports F1 this weekend

Lewis Hamilton must decide whether to remain with Mercedes or move elsewhere for a final “roll of the dice” at claiming a record eighth Formula 1 title, according to Sky Sports F1’s Martin Brundle. 

The extension of Hamilton’s current deal at Mercedes, which expires at the end of the 2023 season, had previously appeared to be formality, with both the 38-year-old and Mercedes boss Toto Wolff suggesting as much in recent months.

However, Hamilton’s apparent criticism of his team for failing to “listen” to him over the design of their new W14 car, which was off the pace of reigning champions Red Bull at the season-opener in Bahrain, has led to renewed speculation over the Brit’s future.

Speaking on the Sky Sports F1 Podcast ahead of this weekend’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, Sky Sports pundit Brundle analysed the situation Hamilton is facing.

He said: “I think it’s absolutely clear that taking that eighth title is everything to him now, to move that hightide mark and be right up there and considered the greatest and have one more than anybody else is important to him, and I think he’ll want to drive wherever he can achieve that.

“If he went to Ferrari, for example, would you be certain you could achieve that better there? They’ve got a number of their own challenges at the moment.

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Look back at some of the most dramatic moments to have taken place at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit.

“Would he get in the door at Red Bull? Because that’s the only place right now you’d think he could go to. Could you have a Verstappen-Hamilton line-up? Could you afford them? Do you need that? Because I think Red Bull are quite happy with a number one and a one-and-a-half driver in their car.

“So it’s all very well saying he’ll go somewhere else, but where at the moment? So he’s better to make what he’s got at a magnificent team work.”

‘Hamilton must be tempted by Ferrari’

Hamilton spent the first six seasons of his career with McLaren, before making a somewhat surprising 2013 move to a Mercedes team that had shown little sign of being a championship contender.

However, the start of the sport’s turbo-hybrid era would see Mercedes dominate, with Hamilton going onto win six titles in seven seasons.

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Brundle gives his thoughts on Mercedes and Hamilton following their difficult start to the season. You can listen to the latest episode of the Sky Sports F1 Podcast now.

“Going to Mercedes looked like a risk at the time but what we didn’t know was all the things that Ross Brawn, Andy Cowell and many others could tell Lewis – ‘have a look at our hybrid power-unit that we’ve got coming, we’re miles ahead of anybody else.’

“Lewis was able to see that. I don’t think he’ll have that kind of head start if he moves at the moment.

“He’s obviously in the latter part of his career, but I could easily see him having another five years – look at Fernando Alonso – he’s three years older than Lewis and driving probably at his best, or at least equal best.

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Hamilton took on the lie detector test – and you might be surprised by some of the results!

“Lewis has got one more roll of the dice to join a team and make them world champions and get all the accolades that he wants, so I think that’s where he’s at the moment.

“‘If in doubt, stay put’, I would have thought would be what he’s thinking. ‘If I can make this work, that’s my best solution, if not I may have to look elsewhere.'”

Despite concluding that staying at Mercedes appears to be Hamilton’s best option, Brundle thinks that the Brit must be tempted to try to emulate fellow seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher by moving to Ferrari and turning around the Italian team’s fortunes.

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Ted Kravitz shares his most memorable moments from the Jeddah circuit ahead of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

“There’s a lot of good reasons to stay at Mercedes, he just needs them to tell him how they’re going to sort this out, but you know, (Ayrton) Senna left McLaren to go to Williams, Schumacher went off to Ferrari, didn’t he? And it took a long time but they made that work.

“So these great drivers are not scared of going somewhere and then galvanising and getting a lot of new people around them and making something happen.

“And I think there must be part of Lewis that thinks, ‘you know, I’d love to go to Ferrari and do a Michael Schumacher and really turn that back into (a winning team) – if I can’t win my eighth or ninth right now, why don’t I go and have some fun there?’

“I’m sure these are all playing in his mind and he’ll be talking to his dad about this as well and his management team about where to go from here and that will be exacerbated by the dismal performance of the car in Bahrain.”

Sky Sports F1’s live Saudi Arabian GP schedule

Thursday
2:30pm: Drivers’ Press Conference

Friday
10.50pm: F2 Practice
1pm: Saudi Arabian GP Practice One (session starts 1.30pm)
2:55pm: F2 Qualifying
4:45pm: Saudi Arabian GP Practice Two (session starts 5pm)
6:15pm: The F1 Show: Saudi Arabia

Saturday
1.15pm: Saudi Arabian GP Practice Three (session starts 1:30pm)
3:05pm: F2 Sprint Race
4pm: Saudi Arabian GP Qualifying build-up
5pm: SAUDI ARABIAN GP QUALIFYING

Sunday
1:35pm: F2 Feature Race
3.30pm: Grand Prix Sunday Saudi Arabian GP build-up
5pm: THE SAUDI ARABIAN GRAND PRIX
7pm: Chequered flag: Saudi Arabian GP Reaction

Watch the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix live on Sky Sports F1 this weekend with Sunday’s race live at 5pm. Get Sky Sports

Max Verstappen eased to a dominant win at the Bahrain GP as Red Bull left their competition behind to start the 2023 Formula 1 season, while Fernando Alonso dazzled to take a well-earned podium for Aston Martin.

Verstappen, aiming for a third straight world title this year, won his first-ever season-opener at a canter after holding his pole position at the start and then racing away, with favourites Red Bull enjoying a dream one-two.

Charles Leclerc was running third behind Sergio Perez, who he had passed off the line before being re-overtaken later in the race, but then suffered a crushing Ferrari power failure with 17 laps remaining.

And Ferrari would then lose the final podium place again thanks to a charging Alonso, who lit up F1’s season-opener.

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Charles Leclerc lost power in his Ferrari as he was forced to retire from third in the season opener.

Alonso, having already brilliantly passed the Mercedes of George Russell and Lewis Hamilton, the second with a glorious move to catch his fellow multi-world champion off guard, then charged past Spanish compatriot Carlos Sainz on Lap 46 of 57, albeit after some slight contact with the Ferrari.

While not fighting Red Bull, it was a fantastic recovery from surprise 2023 contenders Aston Martin, with Alonso and team-mate Lance Stroll having lost positions and made contact on the opening lap.

Stroll, racing a week after surgery on his wrist, also beat a Mercedes after overtaking Russell.

In the end, Hamilton and Russell had to settle for fifth and seventh in their underperforming W14 cars.

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Lance Stroll hit Aston Martin teammate Fernando Alonso on the opening lap of the Bahrain Grand Prix, while Max Verstappen held on to the lead from Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc.

Valtteri Bottas was ‘best of the rest’ for Alfa Romeo ahead of Pierre Gasly in the Alpine and the impressive Alex Albon for Williams.

Gasly had a much better evening than new team-mate Esteban Ocon, who received three separate penalties in Bahrain – one for an incorrect grid position, one for not serving his first penalty correctly and another for speeding in the pit lane – before, well out of contention, retiring from the race.

McLaren debutant Oscar Piastri also would not finish the opener, while team-mate Lando Norris was plum last on a nightmare start for the famous Woking team.

Bahrain GP Race Result
1) Max Verstappen, Red Bull
2) Sergio Perez, Red Bull
3) Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin
4) Carlos Sainz, Ferrari
5) Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes
6) Lance Stroll, Aston Martin
7) George Russell, Mercedes
8) Valtteri Bottas, Alfa Romeo
9) Pierre Gasly, Alpine
10) Alex Albon, Williams

Verstappen in control but Alonso lights up opener

There was hope heading into the season-opener that Red Bull, having struggled more than expected through practice and then scraped to pole in qualifying, would be challenged by Ferrari, Aston Martin or Mercedes.

The world champions, though, proved why they are so heavily backed this season.

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Max Verstappen sent an ominous warning to his rivals as he cruised to win the season opener in Bahrain, while Fernando Alonso finished third for his first podium with new team Aston Martin.

Verstappen got an excellent getaway and, while Leclerc passed Perez with a fine start of his own, the Dutchman eased away from his rival of last year by almost a second a lap in the opening stages.

He stopped on Lap 15 to cover off Leclerc and again on Lap 37, those being the only times he relented his lead through different strategies with his team-mate, who also had much better pace than the Ferraris.

Perez patiently waited behind Leclerc before pouncing on the Ferrari before the halfway stage. He finished 12 seconds off a truly dominant Verstappen.

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Sergio Perez surged past Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc to make it a Red Bull one-two after 26 laps in Bahrain.

“We can definitely fight with this and also a big thank you to the team again for what they have done over the winter to have a quick race car again,” said Verstappen, who took a maiden Bahrain victory.

The star of the opener, though, was none other than a certain 41-year-old.

Alonso, debuting for his fifth team in F1, was rapid at Sakhir, bouncing back from dropping two places on the opening lap in style.

Mercedes capitalised to get ahead of Aston Martin after Alonso and Stroll’s first-lap scuffles but the double world champion got ahead of Russell on Lap 13, and then superbly hunted down Hamilton.

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Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso climbed to fifth after a fantastic tussle with Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton.

The two F1 greats battled out over multiple thrilling laps, with Hamilton keeping Alonso at bay at first before the Aston Martin driver, in admittedly a better package right now, stunned his rival down the inside of the slow-speed Turn 10.

He then set after Sainz, who never stood a chance in a Ferrari that was haemorrhaging lap time due to tyre degradation.

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Fernando Alonso made yet another overtake as the Aston Martin driver usurped fellow Spaniard Carlos Sainz for third.

Again, it was a feisty battle – and there was a slight touch after a scrap through Turn Four – but Alonso again dazzled through the twisty middle sector before getting ahead of Sainz on the straight.

It sealed Alonso’s second podium from the last seven years, proving that he – at last – may have made a wise transfer decision.

More to follow.

What’s next?

The Formula 1 2023 season continues with the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix from the sport’s fastest street track in Jeddah.

The action is all live on Sky Sports F1 from March 17-19, with Sunday’s race at 5pm.