Now that the Bahrain Grand Prix is in the books, the 2023 Formula 1 season is officially up and running. Behind the one-way traffic at the front of the field, as Max Verstappen picked up from where he left off last season, the overall pecking order has been refreshed.
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc was denied a podium owing to reliability concerns, paving the way for Fernando Alonso’s scintillating drive to third as Lawrence Stroll’s heavy investment into the Aston Martin team now shows signs of paying off. In the meantime, Mercedes appears to be a team in need of a contemplative session of skimming rocks by a lake, as its car concept has cast doubt among the ranks.
