- Leclerc takes first place in season-opener ahead of Carlos Sainz
- Lewis Hamilton third; Max Verstappen and Sergio Pérez retire
Formula One’s new era could surely not have asked for a more compelling curtain raiser than the drama, triumph and disaster of the season-opener in Bahrain. While Charles Leclerc led a Ferrari one-two with teammate Carlos Sainz, the prancing horse once more at a mighty gallop, their Red Bull rivals were left reeling from the brutal body blow of a double failure for both their cars. Max Verstappen and Sergio Pérez both retired at the very death, allowing Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes to capitalise with an unlikely place on the podium.
The 24-year-old Leclerc ultimately won with a dominant drive from pole at the Bahrain International Circuit but only after a dramatic fight with Verstappen that had looked to be going to the wire only for both Red Bulls to suffer what the team called a “fuel system problem” that put them out. Their late retirements allowed Hamilton and George Russell to grab an against-the-odds third and fourth place for Mercedes, who had been firmly fifth and sixth through the race on pace. Kevin Magnussen was an impressive fifth for Haas on his first race back in F1.
