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Formula 1 Bahrain GP

F1 Bahrain GP Live Commentary and Updates - Race

Minute-by-minute updates for the 2024 Formula 1 Bahrain Grand Prix

Sparks fly from Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB20

The opening race of the 2024 F1 season is here, as Max Verstappen starts from pole position at the Bahrain GP.

Red Bull comes into the new campaign as heavy favourites, but can any of its rivals take the fight to Verstappen in the opener?

Charles Leclerc starts alongside Verstappen on the front row, with Mercedes’ George Russell third and the sister Ferrari of Carlos Sainz fourth. Sergio Perez will be looking to climb the order for Red Bull from fifth.

The Bahrain GP gets under way at 3pm GMT.

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Pit stop
At the end of lap 13 Norris pits from a promoted third, also taking hards, and comes out in ninth.
Leclerc bails out at Turn 10 after coming close to contact with Bottas under braking. The Ferrari driver is really struggling this evening.
Pit stop
A lap later Perez and Hamilton pit, both opting for fresh hards. At pit exit Russell greets Perez but just stays ahead into Turn 1.
Cameras have just picked up that Bottas has significant damage to his front wing endplate. Half of the right side is bent back in the wind after he helped Hulkenberg into Stroll's gearbox early on.
Russell rejoins in 12th, fending off Bottas, and Leclerc in 14th right behind them.
Pit stop
Russell and Leclerc pit together at the end of lap 11. Both take on fresh hards.
Pit stop
Zhou, Ocon and Stroll have now joined Hulkenberg on the hard compound. As others at the front begin to struggle on their softs, we may see a lot of stops all of a sudden.
Sainz makes a move on Leclerc into Turn 1 and somehow they don't clash coming through Turn 2 as the pair go wheel-to-wheel. That wasn't planned, both were fighting for that position, which goes Sainz's way and he is up to fourth.
Or it would have, had Sargeant not been able to recover back to the track and continue. An odd one but we're likely to get answers soon.
Mechanical problem
Sargeant has pulled off the track at Turn 4. The end of a DRS zone, that could need a safety car....
Hamilton finally makes his move on Alonso into Turn 1.
It so far looks like concerns there could be four Red Bull cars - once you include the RBs - at the front were a bit premature. Tsunoda is currently P10 and Ricciardo P14.
At the start of lap 10 Verstappen's lead is up to 7s on Russell, who has Perez behind him just outside his DRS range.
Leclerc locked up into Turn 10 which set up Perez's overtake for third place. The Monegasque is really struggling right now, as he locks up again at Turn 1 on lap nine, with Sainz all over the back of him.
Leclerc looks to return the favour on Perez on the next lap into Turn 1 but the Red Bull driver takes a defensive inside line to give him no way through.
Hamilton is now just four-tenths off Alonso - well within DRS range of the Aston Martin.
Perez gets by Leclerc on the inside into Turn 11, using DRS, to take third place from the Ferrari driver.
"I have more pace than the guys in front," Sainz tells Ferrari. "OK good to know," is the reply. No going.
Leclerc may have been flagging track limits earlier but he's just been pinged for it at Turn 10.
Verstappen's lead is up to 4.8s midway through lap six. As expected he is pulling away at will from Russell, who has Leclerc, Perez and Sainz for close company.
Piastri has now made his way past Alonso into seventh. Next up on Alonso is Hamilton, who has failed to make up any ground after starting ninth.
Leclerc is reporting over team radio that Russell is breaching track limits, but nothing has popped up on the timing screen so far for him. Norris has been buzzed for it though at Turn 15.
Leclerc's having a stinker of a start, as Perez battles him for third place, with the Ferrari locking up into Turn 10. Their fight has invited Sainz into the action.
The incident involving Stroll and Hulkenberg at the start has been looked at, and it has been deemed that no further action is required.
Stopwatch
Verstappen is popping in fastest laps to stretch his lead to 2s at the end of lap three.
Here comes Norris, a move into Turn 1 puts him sixth, ahead of Alonso. Piastri is now all over the back of the Aston Martin.
On lap 3 Russell makes a move on Leclerc at Turn 4 and grabs second place!
The leader is already out of DRS range, one-and-a-half laps into this race. So, a super start for Verstappen, while the other Red Bull of Perez was the only driver to gain a place in the top nine.
Gambling on the long game and a safety car, Hulkenberg fitted the hard tyres after his front wing was changed.
DRS in enabled on lap two and it is game on. Verstappen is trying to break the one-second barrier to get out of DRS range from Leclerc.
Pit stop
Hulkenberg has reported front wing damage, suggesting that he may well have been involved in the Stroll incident. The Haas driver is now at the back of the pack and he pits.
Sainz is pushed back to fifth and is defending from Alonso. Then comes Norris, Piastri and Hamilton.
A dreadful start for Lance Stroll who spins at Turn 1 and drops to the back of the field. Alpine pair Ocon and Gasly are up to P16 and P17.
Lights green
Verstappen gets a smooth getaway and keeps the lead into Turn 1, with Leclerc, Russell and Perez in his wake.
Verstappen lines up on pole position and we are moments away from light out. Here we go.
All 20 drivers get away smoothly and get their tyres, brakes and engines in the right temperature window for the start.
So, you'll have to put up with coverage of the 2024 F1 opener. I don't expect many complaints. The formation lap is under way and Verstappen leads away the pack.
This is where I was going to make a joke about the nerves building in Woking, not for McLaren ahead of the race, but for the relegation dogfight that is Woking vs Kidderminster Harriers starting at the same time. But that game has been called off for a waterlogged pitch. Boo.
Starting tyres: Everyone is on the softs. That was easy.

By: Autosport Staff

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