Ferrari flop in Bahrain F1 season opening

The F1 season started with a remarkable race at the Bahrain GP, resulting in a comfortable finish for both Red Bulls and a thrilling podium for Fernando Alonso! Both Red Bulls held on to their lead while Alonso’s Aston Martin fought for a podium, overtaking Hamilton and Sainz. A disappointing finish for both Ferrari and Mercedes.

The race took place at the Bahrain International Circuit, located just outside of Manama, the capital of Bahrain. The circuit was built in 2004 and has hosted several international events since its completion, including the FIA World Endurance Championship, GP2 Series, and the Bahrain GP.

The Bahrain Grand Prix has been a mainstay of the Formula One calendar since 2004. The track is known for its long straights and technical corners, which make it a great challenge for drivers.

The Bahrain GP was the first opening event of the 2023 Formal One season, and all eyes were set on the top three: Red Bull, Ferrari, and Mercedes.

There was some hope revolving around the Ferraris FM-23 model, many believed it would be a direct competitor for Red Bull, but in reality, it has fallen short in many aspects, most importantly lacking reliability.

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen started the new season as he ended the last, with a dominant triumph in the Middle East. Verstappen was driving eleven seconds ahead of the Checo and his Red Bull, a comfortable finish for the young World Champion.

Ferraris's collapse was unexpected, as both Leclerc and Sainz were in P3 and P4 at the starting grid. Both Ferrari drivers kept their positions throughout the race until their cars began to lack power. Leclerc abandoned the race due to engine failure, causing him to lose power in turn 14.

Carlos Sainz put up a fight to stay in third but Alonso’s roaring Aston Martin got ahead of the Ferrari. Carlos Sainz finished P4, 48 seconds behind Verstappen.

After some impressive qualifying runs, Aston Martin has proven to be a strong force to reckon with this 2023 season as their AM-23 car qualified in the top 10. Fernando Alonso qualified P5 ahead of George Russel and Lewis Hamilton. Lance Stroll followed just behind in P8.

Aston Martin had a close scare at the start of the Bahrain race when teammate Lance Stroll came into the first turn too fast and bumped Alonso’s right rear wheel. It was a miracle both drivers stayed in the fight without any technical issues.

The Aston Martins presented an ambitious race strategy where they would push Mercedes early, and undercut them with a pit stop, allowing Alonso to chase the Ferraris for 3rd.

Fernando Alonso gave an impeccable driving exhibition, overtaking George Russel and then Lewis Hamilton in a jaw-dropping inside overtake in turn 10.

Ferrari's unreliability gave Alonso a chance to challenge Sainz for the podium. The Aston Martin was flying behind the Ferrari at a remarkable pace and the Italian team paid the price. With Leclerc out for mechanical issues, Sainz was helpless against the roaring AM-23.

Drivers Zhou Guanyu (Alfa Romeo) and Pierre Gasly (Alpine) had two of the fastest laps at the Bahrain 2023 GP. Zhou registered 1:33.9 seconds for the fastest lap of the day and Gasly registered 1:35.06. Two promising drivers showing they have a competitive edge!

For this year's F1 season, it seems practically impossible to challenge Red Bull’s winning hegemony. Both Verstappen and Checo are proving to be tremendously fast and unchallenged by the other teams, so it seems like a third world championship is coming Verstappen's way this year.

Nevertheless, while the Red Bulls dominate the podiums, the real exciting racing will happen around the positions 3rd-8th. Ferrari, Mercedes, Aston Martin, Alfa Romeo, Alpine, and McLaren will be bumping heads all year long for those championship points. A very promising racing season is ahead!