‘Unreal!’ – Fernando Alonso claims shock podium as Max Verstappen wins Bahrain Grand Prix

This is Fernando Alonso’s first podium since Qatar 2021 (Photo: Getty)

Fernando Alonso says that Aston Martin have the second-best car on the Formula One grid as he took a remarkable podium at the season opener in Bahrain.

Max Verstappen began his title defence in the best possible way by claiming a straightforward victory in Sakhir, with nobody able to get near Red Bull with teammate Sergio Perez sealing a 1-2 finish.

But the day belonged to Alonso, who battled back after a poor start, pulling off some excellent overtakes on the likes of Sir Lewis Hamilton and Carlos Sainz.

He looked destined to finish fourth but inherited the final spot on the podium after Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari broke down in the latter stages.

‘This is just unreal! It is amazing for the team. It was great,’ Alonso, who was making his Aston Martin debut after leaving Alpine, said post-race.

‘To come here and finish on the podium in the first race of the year, it is amazing what Aston Martin did over the winter to have the second best car on race one.

‘We had not the best start today and we had to pass on track. It was more exciting, more adrenaline. I hope the people enjoyed it, we enjoyed it and now we go to Jeddah [Saudi Arabia].’

The Aston Martin AMR23 has some serious pace (Photo: Getty)

Aston Martin finished seventh in the standings last season with many shocked that two-time champion Alonso had moved there but Sunday’s podium and the positive results from pre-season testing have vindicated the 41-year-old’s decision.

Last year, Red Bull recorded a double-DNF in the season opener but in 2023 it was a very different story, with the team recording a 1-2 finish after locking out the front row of the grid for the first time since Abu Dhabi 2013.

‘It was a very good first stint where I made my gap and from there it was just looking after the tyres,’ Verstappen said, having finally won the Bahrain Grand Prix for the first time in his career.

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‘You never really know what is going to happen later on in the race so we wanted to have the right tyres in good condition as well.

‘Very happy to also finally win here in Bahrain. I think we have a good race package. 

‘We can definitely fight with this and also a big thank you to the team again for what they have done over the winter to have a quick race car again.’

MORE : Emerson Fittipaldi names Max Verstappen’s biggest rival for Bahrain Grand Prix

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