Verstappen wins 2024 F1 season opener in Bahrain | KLRT [Video]

The 2024 Formula 1 World Championship got underway on Saturday with the Bahrain Grand Prix, which was held at the Bahrain International Circuit.

Reigning world champion Max Verstappen converted a pole position into a win, and was largely uncontested for all 57 laps of the race. Fellow Red Bull driver Sergio Perez finished second, some 22 seconds behind his teammate, while Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz claimed third, approximately 25 seconds behind the winner.

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc started the race on the front row and finished in fourth despite his tires locking up on several occasions. The fourth-place finish together with Sainz’s performance perhaps foreshadows that Ferrari will provide the biggest competition for Red Bull this season. Rounding out the top five was Mercedes-Benz AMG’s George Russell.

Russell was a real standout on the day thanks to some impressive passes, including a bold move early on to pass Leclerc. Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll also recovered from an early spin to finish in …