Charles Leclerc took the chequered flag in Formula 1 season opener in Bahrain.

Ferrari recorded their first win since the Singapore Grand Prix in 2019.

Teammate Carlos Sainz Jr made it a one-two for the Scuderia, leading on from their impressive pre-season.

The final few laps saw Red Bull implode, as both drivers suffered from engine and steering issues.

Max Verstappen limped home to the pits with a few laps remaining, whilst teammate Sergio Perez was sent into a spin on his final lap as his engine cut out.

It was Red Bull’s first double DNF since Austria in 2020.

Mercedes-Benz’s Lewis Hamilton took advantage of Red Bull’s woes, as he secured the final place on the podium.

The Silver Arrows, who have been playing catch up during testing, will be delighted with a third and fourth position, despite their lack of pace in qualifying and the race.

Kevin Magnussen secured an unprecedented fifth place, in his first race back for Haas since the 2020 season.

For a team who didn’t score a single point last season, they are certainly showing how strong the Ferrari engines are looking in this new era of Formula 1.

(Featured Image by Eustace Bagge – Creative Commons)