Bahrain Grand Prix 2022: The fallout from the first race of the F1 season

The 2022 Bahrain Grand Prix showcased a wild start to the F1 season, with Red Bull having to ensure a nightmare race. Ferrari laid down their ambitions for the season, with Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz finishing first and second respectively. 

Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton managed to come third behind the two Ferrari drivers despite not having the best race. Red Bull’s Sergio Perez had a disappointing end to his race, as he spun around in the track, which allowed Hamilton to achieve a podium finish. 

Bahrain Grand Prix 2022: Ferrari win big as Red Bull suffer dismal performance 

Red Bull’s Christian Horner said: ‘It was a brutal finish to the race for us, our worst nightmare. What looked like a decent haul of points suddenly evaporated.

‘It looks like a similar issue in both cars. We don’t know exactly what it is yet but we have got to figure it out. It’s very disappointing to lose 30 points.’ 

Max Verstappen’s first big race with the number 1 ended prematurely. The defending world champion had to retire early after he complained of power steering issues, and was summoned into the pit after competing for the podium spots. 

Pierre Gasly’s AlphaTauri caught fire, which was one of the most notable moments from the race. The safety car allowed Verstappen a chance to compete with Leclerc, but he wasn’t able to catch the eventual winner of the Bahrain Grand Prix. 

This is the first time since 2019 Ferrari have won a race, and it could spell the start of a new era in F1 with Mercedes and Red Bull both failing to start their season off on the right foot.