'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/4AAQSkZJRgABAQAAAQABAAD/2wCEAAMDAwMDAwQEBAQFBQUFBQcHBgYHBwsICQgJCAsRCwwLCwwLEQ8SDw4PEg8bFRMTFRsfGhkaHyYiIiYwLTA+PlQBAwMDAwMDBAQEBAUFBQUFBwcGBgcHCwgJCAkICxELDAsLDAsRDxIPDg8SDxsVExMVGx8aGRofJiIiJjAtMD4+VP/AABEIAAYACgMBIgACEQEDEQH/xABhAAEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABRAAAgICAwADAAAAAAAAAAAAAQIDBAARBQYHEhMUAQEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAEBREAAQQBBQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQACAxFBBBIhMVH/2gAMAwEAAhEDEQA/AJXSfPfbbK1uRi7rGsMlz84qi1PGsjRoSfmQh0p1kObznvk80kr8twaM7liorWW0Sd639w3jGHOmhc4OLTdVw4ge9KzDDHKXbxdAZrJX/9k='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
The 2023 F1 Bahrain Grand Prix lived up to expectations to kick off the season, with Red Bull picking up exactly where they left off last year. The reigning world champions came into this season looking as strong as ever during the pre-test sessions and dominated Saturday's qualifying to secure a front-row lockout. The momentum continued as they brought home a phenomenal 1-2 finish with Max Verstappen comfortably leading the race from start to finish. With this, Red Bull finds itself back on top in the constructors' standings ahead of Aston Martin, who currently stands second.
Despite a strong start to the year, Red Bull team boss Christian Horner remains cautious of the potential of teams such as Mercedes, Ferrari, and now Aston Martin, who seem to have taken quite a step ahead from last year. Speaking to Sky Sports F1 in a post-race interview, the Briton said:
"It can change very quickly. Look at last year, Mercedes came from a long way back and they had a winning car at the end of the year with that concept. Ferrari, unlucky with Charles but at a different circuit in Jeddah - I think we need to wait for a sample of two or three circuits, we have only been at one track. Let's reserve judgement until a few races into the championship."
George Russell, who finished the race in seventh, admitted that he expects Red Bull to continue to dominate the 2023 F1 season with little to no threat from any other team. As reported by Motorsport, the Mercedes driver said:
"Red Bull has got this championship sewn up, I don't think anyone is going to be fighting with them this year. I expect they should win every single race this season. That is my bet. With the performance they've got I don't see anyone challenging them."
"Their pace seems weaker this weekend than it was in testing, which was a bit strange. But, you know, they've got it easy at the moment, and they can do what they like. They might not get on pole all of the time, because we know that Ferrari are very competitive in qualifying. But when it comes to race pace, I think they're in a very, very strong position."
With Russell and Lewis Hamilton finishing seventh and fifth respectively, Mercedes, too, find themselves where they left off last season: third in the constructor standings.
Aston Martin have secured the second spot in the standings with two-time world champion Fernando Alonso taking the 99th podium of his career, this time for the Silverstone-based team. Ferrari, on the other hand, had a rather underwhelming outing in Bahrain with Charles Leclerc's DNF and Carlos Sainz finishing fourth.
Alfa Romeo, Alpine, and Williams each had one car finish in the top ten, while McLaren, Haas, and AlphaTauri had a weekend to forget as they left the track with no points to their name after the 2023 F1 Bahrain Grand Prix.
Here are the 2023 F1 Constructor Standings after the Bahrain GP
