Verstappen led Hamilton, Perez, Pierre Gasly (AlphaTauri), Charles Leclerc (Ferrari), Antonio Giovinazzi (Alfa Romeo) and Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) at the restart on Lap 5 – Sainz passing Giovinazzi for sixth at Turn 1. The safety car was required to clear away the stranded cars. Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images Perez ran across the grass at Turn 1, but rejoined in third.ĭaniel Ricciardo, McLaren MC元5M, Carlos Sainz Jr., Ferrari SF21, and George Russell, Williams FW43B, as Yuki Tsunoda, AlphaTauri AT02, gets airborne at the start A slow stop meant he rejoined just in front of Sainz but way behind Perez, who caught Verstappen in this stint and was 2s behind his team-mate by half distance.From pole position, Bottas led Hamilton on the charge to Turn 1, with Verstappen going to the outside, braking late and sweeping around them both.īehind him, Bottas was spun around by Ricciardo, who lost his front wing, while in the pack Yuki Tsunoda (AlphaTauri) and Mick Schumacher (Haas) sandwiched the Alpine of Esteban Ocon and both flew up into the air and into retirement at Turn 2. Verstappen stopped on lap 20, allowed Leclerc to lead until he pitted two laps later. Max Verstappen won the Bahrain Grand Prix, the opening round of the 2023 Formula 1 World Championship, leading a Red Bull 1-2 ahead of a sensational Fernando Alonso. Sainz pitted on lap 18, and also got caught up behind Vettel, as Verstappen and Leclerc ran long in the top two spots. Perez rejoined battling Vettel, which cost him time in his battle for second with Leclerc – both in the race and the world championship standings. Ocon was the first of the top 10 to pit for hard tyres on lap 15, followed by Perez and Russell (who had a very slow stop and was released into the path of Norris, resulting in a 5s time penalty) a lap later. Behind the Mercedes duo, Lando Norris ran seventh for McLaren, while, in his last-ever grand prix, Sebastian Vettel duelled with the Alpines of Esteban Ocon and Fernando Alonso. Verstappen pulled out a 2.7s lead over Perez by lap 10, with Leclerc and Sainz equidistantly spaced by 3s behind them. In the second Mercedes, George Russell then overtook Hamilton – who was complaining of a loss of power – for fifth. A lap later, Hamilton DRS-ed past Sainz into Turn 9, but Sainz stayed in DRS range and repaid the favour at the same corner four laps later. Hamilton initially kept his position, after straight-lining the apex of Turn 7, but was asked to allow Sainz back in front, which he did on lap four. Follow live updates from the Monaco Grand Prix as Mercedes debut their long-awaited upgrades in Friday practice at F1. On the run to Turn 6, Sainz lunged inside Hamilton and sent him wide on the exit, the Mercedes briefly being sent airborne over the kerb. race as Formula 1 returns to its most famous circuit. Sergio Perez won the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, leading home a Red Bull 1-2 ahead of a charging Max Verstappen.

Coverage of every session in winter testing, practice, qualifying and raceday. Verstappen just held his pole advantage on the run to Turn 1, the majority of the field starting on the medium-compound tyres, ahead of Perez, Leclerc, Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) and Carlos Sainz (Ferrari). F1 News, Expert Technical Analysis, Results, Latest Standings and Video from PlanetF1.

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