Results Bahrain GP | Leclerc wins, Hamilton benefits from Red Bull drama
The opening race of the Formula 1 season was one to remember. While Ferrari made their presence felt by taking the first and second final positions, Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez had to retire early due to engine problems.
Expectations around Ferrari were high prior to the race. The Italian racing team already left a positive impression during the winter tests and seemed ready to fight for the front positions. Ferrari succeeded in doing so, with Leclerc taking the victory. Sainz grabbed the second spot after Verstappen had to stop.
Lewis Hamilton was back in fourth position after Verstappen's retirement but seemed to fall short of beating Perez. The Mexican, however, also had to deal with engine problems and even spun on the track, after which he also had to come in. It ensured a third place for Hamilton.
Plenty of battles in Bahrain
A special battle also took place in other parts of the track. George Russell worked his way up to fourth place, Kevin Magnussen finished in fifth position and Guanyu Zhou immediately grabbed a point in his first race. Daniel Ricciardo, Lando Norris, Nicholas Latifi and Nick Hulkenburg finished in the last positions.
Most regulation changes underwhelm and this certainly did.
The cars were only 2 seconds off of last year but looked very slow and clumsy especially in the slow corners. The must be making up a lot of time in a straight line.
I didn't think the wheel to wheel racing was particularly good drivers seemed very cautious but I'm willing to not judge for a couple more races because they are still figuring out the limits of the cars especially in wheel to wheel racing.
DRS seemed more powerful than ever.
I'm not really sure the changes worked to deliver a better product.
I think you could have kept last years cars but put the E10 engines in the back of them and you would have had a similar shake up to the running order.
Previous generation cars more exciting to watch on the limit, provided more exciting wheel to wheel battles, DRS was less effective (unless rocketship Merc with engine tricks).
They looked like Indycars racing out there with the stiff suspension, struggling in slow corners.
It is the first race though and probably gain three seconds by next season.
i thought i was seeing things, the cars look funny and slower to me on the tracks. last year cars where the bomb
Great battles throughout the field, pretty good.
Lets hope we can get rid of DRS in a few seasons too
Luck is always allied with great skill, unless there is cheating like in Abu Dhabi 2021. Just saying. LOL !!!
Luck in imola last time was that real skill. crashing into the wall and getting a red flag. Hamilton had been lucky from past 8 years
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