Leclerc takes a Ferrari double, disaster for Red Bull

Ferrari is back on the top step of the podium. More than two years after the last victory of the reds in Singapore in 2019, the team of Maranello made its strong comeback with a victory this Sunday in Bahrain. Started in pole position, Charles Leclerc won the very first Grand Prix of the season in Sakhir, ahead of his teammate Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) and Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes). Ferrari pockets the maximum number of points since Leclerc also took the fastest lap in the race. 

Huge blow on the other hand for Red Bull, who saw his two cars retire in the last three laps due to mechanical problems. First of all Max Verstappen (Red Bull), three laps from the goal, even though he had remained in contact with Leclerc throughout the race, then Sergio Perez, in the penultimate lap, after complaining about the same thing as his teammate world champion. Transparent throughout the race and absolutely alone in a no man's land, Mercedes took advantage of the bad luck of its rivals.

Opportunistic Mercedes

Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) actually got on the podium thanks to the disintegration of his opponents, with George Russell in his exhausts. The other surprise of the evening comes from Haas and Kevin Magnussen, who finished 5th after three absolutely terrible seasons, ahead of a no less surprising Valtteri Bottas for Alfa Romeo. We will also mention the first points in Formula 1 de Guanyu-Zhou (Alfa Romeo), 10th, for his first Grand Prix.

Before the final rush, Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen engaged in a ragtag battle in the first third of the race. To try to make up for his three-second deficit, Max Verstappen attempted an undercut on Charles Leclerc at the end of the 15th lap. The Monegasque answered him the next round, and came out right in front of him. Behind, from the 17th to the 19th lap, the two kids who were competing in karts attacked each other relentlessly. 

First Ferrari double since 2019

Each time, from a long distance, the Dutchman passed the first turn thanks to heavy braking, before the Monegasque regained his position at turn 1. The poleman ended up having the last word, after Verstappen blocked his wheels forwards during his last attempt. Unable to then follow the pace imposed by the Monegasque, Verstappen and Red Bull tried the undercut again during the second pit stop on the 4th lap, but Leclerc and Ferrari did not even have to defend this time. 

The race was then completely restarted twelve laps from the goal, when the rear of theAlpha Tauri de Pierre Gasly caught fire just after turn 3. The French driver was therefore forced to retire while he was in the points. Fortunately, the Norman anticipated the problem and was able to get out of his car without incident, while the marshals quickly put out the fire with fire extinguishers. At the Safety Car restart, Leclerc managed perfectly, helped by the pressure put by his teammate Carlos Sainz on Verstappen, who was passing. And then, the disintegration of Red Bull arrived and Ferrari signed its first double since the Singapore Grand Prix in 2019. 

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