Max Verstappen starts season with one-two win in Bahrain

MANAMA—Formula One world champion Max Verstappen made a dream start to the season by leading Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez to a one-two lead at the Bahrain Grand Prix on Sunday as Fernando Alonso joined him on the podium in his Aston Martin debut.

Mexico’s Perez took the checkered flag 11.9 seconds behind his teammate, who won the team’s 10th in 12 races since last July.

“It’s great, it’s a great result. We have a good race pace,” Verstappen, who is favorite for a third consecutive title this season, told his team on a slow lap.

“This is the start of the season that we wanted and needed. Perfect one-two”.

While Red Bull celebrated and the night sky was filled with fireworks, Ferrari were left licking their wounds again with Charles Leclerc retiring from third and Carlos Sainz followed by Alonso.

Verstappen meanwhile cruised untroubled from pole position.

It was the first time the Dutch driver had won in Bahrain, the first time he had won in the Formula One opener and a real change from last year’s race when he retired and Leclerc won.

Leclerc grabbed second place at the start from third on the grid and was looking good for the podium until he slowed and dropped back 17 laps from the end, shouting “No, no, no! No power” over the team radio.

Ferrari blamed the breakdown, which triggered the time of the virtual safety car, on an electrical problem in the power unit.

“Of course we are disappointed, how could we not be? We know we have to deal with tire degradation but we don’t expect any reliability issues,” said new team boss Fred Vasseur.

Veteran double world champion Alonso, in his 356th race, then passed Sainz in a thrilling wheel-to-wheel move 12 laps from the end and was voted Driver of the Day by fans.

“It’s a great car to drive,” the 41-year-old Spaniard, the race’s oldest driver and replacing retired four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel, told his team.

“To come here and finish on the podium in the first race of the year, it’s amazing what Aston Martin has done over the winter to have the second best car in race one. It’s just unreal,” said the crowd after the finish.

The worst day ever

Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton was fifth for Mercedes, who were far off the pace of Red Bull and effectively the fourth-best team.

“It was one of the worst days of racing,” team boss Toto Wolff said.

Canada’s Lance Stroll gave Aston Martin more points with sixth, elevating it to a giddy second in the constructors’ standings.

It was a fantastic drive from the young Canadian, who broke both wrists and a big toe in a cycling accident in Spain two weeks ago.

“To finish sixth has been worth all the pain,” he said.

George Russell was seventh for Mercedes with Valtteri Bottas eighth for Alfa Romeo and Pierre Gasly ninth on his Alpine debut after joining from AlphaTauri and starting the race in last place.

Gasly’s teammate Esteban Ocon took three separate time penalties before retiring.

Alex Albon took the final point for Williams who looked more competitive, with new USA teammate Logan Sargeant 12th.

Alfa Romeo’s Guanyu Zhou set the fastest lap but no bonus points as he finished outside the top 10.

Australian Oscar Piastri retired 14 laps into his debut, with McLaren stricken wheels to the team garage after suffering apparent electronics problems.

The 21-year-old had complained of gearbox problems and the mechanics changed the steering wheel when he pitted but was unable to restart.

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