F1 Starting Grid 2023 Bahrain Grand Prix

F1 Race Event: Bahrain Grand Prix
Race Track: Bahrain International Circuit

Start time: 18:00 Local | 16:00 CET | 15:00 UK | 07:00 LA | 23:00 Tokio

After months of anticipation and speculation, the 2023 Formula 1 season officially kicked off with the Bahrain Grand Prix qualifying session. With all eyes on the grid, it quickly became clear that the Red Bulls had the edge, with both Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez securing front row starts, lapping 0.3 seconds faster than the Ferraris.

Despite the dominance of the Red Bulls, there were a few surprises on the grid. In the lead-up to qualifying, rumors had been circulating about the speed of the Aston Martin, and Fernando Alonso proved those whispers true, posting a time that was faster than both of the Mercedes cars.

Overall, the stage is set for an exciting and unpredictable race, with the starting grid offering up plenty of opportunities for drivers to make their move and shake up the expected order with the race pace, which could give us surprises.

F1 Starting Grid 2023 Bahrain GP

✅ Don't forget to check out the 2023 Bahrain F1 Grand Prix preview

Best 2023 Bahrain F1 Grand Prix Race Strategy

The Bahrain Grand Prix should be a two-stop race, as was the case in previous years. On paper, the fastest strategy is to start on soft and then move onto the P Zero White hard C1. Depending on which tyres each driver has available, there’s then the option to fit either another soft or another hard for the run to the flag. Finishing on the soft is theoretically a bit faster overall.

For those wanting to use the P Zero Yellow medium C2, a soft-medium-soft or soft-hard-medium run plan is another possibility; but these options are slower. The fierce abrasion of the Sakhir asphalt makes a one-stopper extremely difficult due to the high levels of degradation.

Mario Isola, Head of Motorsport
“As we fully expected, the majority of teams used the soft tyre in FP3 to prepare for qualifying, Red Bull was the only team to use the hard as well, without compromising the availability of this compound for the race – as each driver has two sets available. The new hard is sure to be a key to the race tomorrow. Qualifying was run entirely on the soft, given the performance gaps between the compounds, with Verstappen beating last year’s pole time from Charles Leclerc. The fact that this year’s pole was around eight-tenths faster, in similar conditions, underlines the increased performance of the 2023 car-tyre package.”

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