F1 Bahrain GP 2024 LIVE: Results with Max Verstappen winning the first race of season
Follow live F1 updates from the first race of the season in Bahrain with Max Verstappen leading from pole
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Formula 1’s 2024 season is well underway as the teams prepare for Saturday’s race with the noise surrounding Christian Horner refusing to fade.
Friday’s action in Bahrain saw Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz top the leaderboard in the third free practice session to set up a Ferrari-Red Bull clash in qualifying. McLaren’s Lando Norris also found some quick pace though the Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton and George Russell were unable to maintain their strong showing from Thursday.
In qualifying, Max Verstappen won the battle against Ferrari and finished on pole thanks to an improved lap time of 1:29:179 beating out Charles Leclerc by 0.228 seconds. Hamilton starts in P9 though teammate Russell had a storming final lap to clinch P3 and will be in with a chance of challenging the leaders today. Sergio Perez and Fernando Alonso round out the top five.
Elsewhere, Christian Horner drew the media’s attention again after Whatsapps allegedly sent by him to a female colleague were leaked to the press, in what could be an embarrassing development for the Red Bull team principal who had previous been investigated and cleared over alleged ’inappropriate behaviour’.
Follow updates from the Bahrain Grand Prix with The Independent:
F1 Bahrain Grand Prix: Lewis Hamilton...
“My seat is broken,” says Hamilton. More issues for Mercedes!
He’s down in eighth at the moment is the seven-time world champion. Russell, in fourth, managing a power unit issue at the moment too...
F1 Bahrain Grand Prix: Sergio Perez has a radio problem (Lap 23/57)
“You need to shout mate, I can’t hear you!” says Perez to his race engineer!
Perez now 9.4 secs behind Verstappen out in front.
Top-10: Verstappen, Perez, Sainz, Russell, Leclerc, Norris, Piastri, Hamilton, Alonso, Zhou
F1 Bahrain Grand Prix: Carlos Sainz now up to third! (Lap 18/57)
Sainz keeps on making moves!
Turn 4 the destination this time as, with DRS, Sainz overtakes Russell down the outside.
Charles Leclerc, meanwhile, complaining it’s “s*** dangerous” in his Ferrari right now, which is moving to the right when he brakes!
Hamilton also moaning about a lack of battery power in his Mercedes.
Max Verstappen pits - 2.9 secs - and no problem for the Dutchman, as he has a 5.6 sec lead to team-mate Sergio Perez in second.
F1 Bahrain Grand Prix: Carlos Sainz retakes fourth from Charles Leclerc!
Sainz left it late in turn one - but gets it done to move past Leclerc again!
Leclerc complaining about his brakes, given he is constantly locking his front wheels!
Top-10: Verstappen, Perez, Russell, Sainz, Leclerc, Norris, Piastri, Hamilton, Alonso, Zhou
F1 Bahrain Grand Prix: Carlos Sainz misses out to his team-mate in the pits (Lap 15/57)
Sainz comes into the pits a few laps later than his team-mate - but he falls back behind Leclerc!
Perez also surges past George Russell for de facto 2nd, as the Red Bulls now lead the way here.
The only driver yet to pit? Max Verstappen, who has a 30-second lead.
F1 Bahrain Grand Prix: George Russell and Charles Leclerc pit (Lap 12/57)
First round of pit stops incoming!
Decent stops for Russell, who stays in front of Leclerc in the pits - and drops down to P12.
Here comes Perez and Hamilton into the pits too...
F1 Bahrain Grand Prix: Carlos Sainz overtakes his team-mate! (Lap 11/57)
Hell of a move by Carlos Sainz on his Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc!
The Spaniard surges down the inside at turn one and makes the move brilliantly!
They almost touched... but not twice.
F1 Bahrain Grand Prix: Logan Sargeant goes off the track (Lap 10/57)
Not sure what happened to the Williams - but he stays off the track in sector one for about 30 seconds before regaining power and rejoining the race.
No safety car.
F1 Bahrain Grand Prix: Sergio Perez overtakes Charles Leclerc (Lap 7/57)
Leclerc drops down further!
Think he’s struggling with his rear tyres, as Sergio Perez launches down the inside of Charles Leclerc heading into turn 11 after the Ferrari locks up at turn 10 - and it’s a comfortable move for the Mexican!
The Red Bull now up to P3.
F1 Bahrain Grand Prix: McLarens move past Fernando Alonso (Lap 6/57)
So the McLarens and the Mercedes showing good race pace, with Norris and Piastri moving above Alonso for sixth and seventh.
Lewis Hamilton is next behind Alonso in eighth.
George Russell is staving off Leclerc in third, but is now 4.5 secs behind race leader Max Verstappen - who is coasting already!
Top-10: Verstappen, Russell, Leclerc, Perez, Sainz, Norris, Piastri, Alonso, Hamilton, Tsunoda
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