F1 update – Bahrain GP

The first round of the 2024 Formula 1 World Championship took place at the Sakhir Circuit in Bahrain for the Bahrain Grand Prix.

Red Bull continued where they left off from 2023 with a dominant 1-2 finish with reigning triple world champion Max Verstappen heading home team mate Sergio Perez with Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz completing the podium by finishing third.

Bahrain GP – top 5:

• 1st: Max Verstappen – Red Bull
• 2nd: Sergio Perez – Red Bull
• 3rd: Carlos Sainz – Ferrari
• 4th: Charles Leclerc – Ferrari
• 5th: George Russell – Mercedes

Other highlights:

• Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll and Haas’s Nico Hulkenberg collided at the start which saw a great recovery drive from the former on his way to tenth.
• Alpine struggled all weekend with their car which saw both drivers Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon qualify on the back row of the grid.
• William’s Logan Sargeant had a near retirement experience, but still managed to complete the race albeit 2 laps down.
• Sauber’s Valtteri Bottas had a disaster on his second pitstop where he stationary for 52 seconds due to a tyre issue on the front right of his car.

News:

• During pre season Ferrari announced the signing of Lewis Hamilton for 2025 which meant that Carlos Sainz would leave the team at the end of the 2024 season.
• Alpine lost 3 of it’s staff members which has included their long time team principal Bob Bell.
• The president of the FIA Mohammed Ben Sulayem is being investigated for interfering with the race result at the 2023 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

The next round of the 2024 Formula 1 World Championship will take place at the Corniche Street Circuit in Jeddah for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix on 7th – 9th March.

Here’s Aston and regular contributor Cameron Perkins with the latest from the world of Formula 1.