Revving up for the start of the F1 season, Red Bull Racing posted a one-two finish during Sunday’s Gulf Air Bahrain GP, taking the metaphorical cake behind the fine work of Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez. This was Verstappen's first-ever win at Bahrain.
Aston Martin also had a very impressive showing at Bahrain, with Fernando Alonso -- the oldest driver on the circuit -- finishing third and Lance Stroll finishing sixth.
Less successful would be Ferrari’s strategy of saving a set of Charles Leclerc’s soft compound tires at qualifying, rather than pushing for the pole. It backfired and then some. Not only did Leclerc struggle to keep up with Verstappen, he ended up retiring early on the 41st lap due to electrical issues.
While Red Bull Racing and Aston Martin can take a temporary breath after Sunday's race, Ferrari and Mercedes still both have work to do to get up to speed early in the season.
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