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      Max Verstappen strolls to Bahrain Grand Prix win and looks cert to retain title after ONE race as Alonso gets third

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      MAX VERSTAPPEN kicked off his F1 title defence with a routine win here in Bahrain.The Red Bull man cruised to victory ahead of his team-mate Sergio Perez, who was second, as the 2023 season got off to a familiar start.
      Max Verstappen carried on how he left off in 2022 as he cruised to victoryCredit: Getty
      Verstappen won by an almost 12 second gapCredit: Getty
      Fernando Alonso’s pace in the Aston Martin proved too much for Lewis HamiltonCredit: AP
      The podium was littered by familiar namesCredit: Getty
      Verstappen has now won five of the last six F1 racesCredit: PA
      Alonso enjoyed his time on the podiumCredit: PA
      Bahrain Grand Prix organisers made sure the spotlight was on the winner
      Red Bull looked supreme once again while Ferrari suffered reliability problems that forced Charles Leclerc to retire. And Mercedes were again off the pace.
      It had an all-too familiar feel as Lewis Hamilton was fifth – the only new element being an impressive performance from Aston Martin duo Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll.
      Two-time world champion Alonso battled with Hamilton on lap 38 with the Spaniard getting past the Brit with an excellent piece of driving through turns nine and 10.
      Alonso then swooped past Carlos Sainz on lap 45, to take a place on the podium for the first time since the 2021 Qatar GP.
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      It was vintage from Alonso, who had looked impressive over the whole weekend while Stroll, who had broken his wrist only two weeks earlier, was sixth.
      The Aston form will pile the woe on Mercedes, as they were beaten by their customer team.
      Merc boss Toto Wolff bizarrely admitted the team had made a mistake for the second year running with the design of their racecar – a huge error that could have serious ramifications if Hamilton decided not to re-sign with the team.
      But while Mercedes were off the pace, Ferrari will be concerned by Leclerc’s engine failure that cost him a place on the podium.
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      The situation is even more bleak for McLaren. Oscar Piastri was forced to retire on his debut GP with a gearbox problem.
      After all the build up for the Australian he was told to pull into the pits after only 13 laps.
      Team-mate Lando Norris did not do much better. Despite finishing the race, he came home in last place after stopping SIX TIMES.
      It is a worrying start to the season for the Woking-based team, who had warned that they had failed to hit the targets they had set themselves over the winter.
      Meanwhile, Esteban Ocon had a shocker. He was penalised for being out of position on the startline.
      He then failed to serve the five-second time penalty correctly, triggering another sanction.
      And in making his pitstop, he was penalised for speeding in the pitlane before eventually retiring from the race.
      Charles Leclerc was forced to retire from the raceCredit: Getty

      Complete F1 2023 race calendar – details on every Grand Prix this year More

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      F1 Bahrain Grand Prix RESULT: Verstappen WINS, Leclerc, Ocon and Piastri all RETIRE, Hamilton finishes 5th – REACTION

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      MAX VERSTAPPEN kicked off the 2023 Formula 1 season in style, with a HUGE win at the Bahrain Grand Prix.Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez finished second, and Fernando Alonso, who started fifth, claimed a podium finish.
      Lewis Hamilton finished fifth, while Charles Leclerc, Esteban Ocon and Oscar Piastri all retired during the race.

      Start time: 3pm UK/10am ET
      TV channel: Sky Sports F1
      Live stream: Now
      Grid: Verstappen (Red Bull), Perez (Red Bull), Leclerc (Ferrari), Sainz (Ferrari), Alonso (Aston Martin), Russell (Mercedes), Hamilton (Mercedes).

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      Max stamps authority on defence
      Max Verstappen has laid a marker today in his defence of his F1 world title in the 2023 campaign.
      He will take some stopping in the Red Bull car this year as Ferrari showed issues in the opening race.
      The gap between him and Lewis Hamilton in this race will ask real questions of whether he can even push Verstappen this year.
      Credit: AFP
      The stars were bright, Fernando
      Fernando Alonso’s third place finish was a win itself.
      Nobody before qualifying would have been placing money with bookies on an Aston Martin podium
      The way the Spaniard dealt with his on track battles with Lewis Hamilton and George Russell were nothing short of brilliant.
      And boy did he enjoy it.
      Credit: AFP
      Credit: Reuters
      Worry for the rest of the field
      As the dust settles on the Bahrain Grand Prix the reality is setting in with the drivers.
      Max Verstappen is going to take some stopping this season.
      He won this race at a canter, never troubled by anyone.
      Bahrain applauds its three amigos
      The 2023 F1 season has begun in spectacular style today.
      With it being a great day for Red Bull, taking two of the three podium places.
      Meanwhile, Aston Martin celebrate only their second podium finish.
      Credit: Getty
      Quiet day in the office for Verstappen
      Max Verstappen pulls his car into its space as the race winner.
      From the grid he led the race and nothing changed for the duration.
      With his team taking first and second, it confirms one thing.
      Red Bull…….it gives you wins.
      Credit: AP
      Spark gone out of Leclerc challenge
      Charles Leclerc will be bitterly disappointed having to bow out of the race today in Bahrain.
      After starting third on the grid, he will have had high hopes of what he could achieve today.
      The electrical problems his Ferrari was having before the race came back to haunt the Monegasque driver.
      Credit: Splash
      F1 season starts in style
      This race did not fail to disappoint today.
      So many questions needing answering going into the first race of the 2023 campaign.
      Here are the all important results from Bahrain:

      1st – Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
      2nd – Sergio Perez (Red Bull)
      3rd – Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin)
      4th – Carlos Sainz (Ferrari)
      5th – Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)

      Credit: Getty
      Max Verstappen wins Bahrain Grand Prix
      Lap 57/57 – Verstappen wins Bahrain Grand Prix
      Defending world champion Max Verstappen gets the 2023 F1 campaign off to the perfect start.
      Teammate Sergio Perez finishes exactly where he started on the grid.
      The big story is Fernando Alonso, who started in fifth, taking a podium finish.
      Spanish eyes on Alonso as he takes Aston Martin’s second ever podium finish.
      Lap 55/57 – Verstappen leads, Alonso in third
      This race is now all about the battle for third.
      What a great drive this has been by Verstappen also.
      He has not been troubled by anyone at all today and has led from start to finish.
      Machine.
      Credit: Getty
      Lap 53/57 – Verstappen heading for victory
      Max Verstappen is looking set for the first win of the season.
      He leads Perez by 10.8 seconds now.
      Perez has a gap over over 24 seconds on Alonso.
      More importantly for the Spaniard, he has a 7.3 second gap on Sainz in fourth.
      Lap 51/57 – Verstappen leads, Hamilton in fifth
      It is debatable whether Lewis Hamilton has seen Max Verstappen’s car since the grid earlier today.
      No doubt he will have his reasons, usually problems with Mercedes’ ability to give him a decent car.
      Meanwhile, Fernando Alonso is showing everyone what driving ability can do as he thrives in this new Aston Martin.
      Lap 49/57 – Verstappen leads Perez
      The real race now is for that final podium place.
      Failing anything drastic happening to their cars, Verstappen and Perez look nailed on for the first and second spots.
      Alonso meanwhile has a 3.7 second lead on Sainz.
      Lando Norris comes in for his fifth stop to get that air supply topped up.
      Lap 47/57 – Alonso into third place
      Form is temporary, class is permanent.
      The oldest driver in the F1 season, Fernando Alonso gets into the slipstream of Sainz and then uses DRS to get better pace to go passed the Ferrari.
      Amazing driving, Alonso now has the chance to finish on the podium today.
      Meanwhile, Verstappen is having a leisurely Sunday drive leading the race from Perez in second.
      Credit: AFP
      Lap 45/57 – Perez closes gap on Verstappen
      Sergio Perez reduces the gap to under ten seconds on his teammate.
      Fernando Alonso can taste blood now as he is only 0.3 seconds behinds Sainz.
      For Sainz to keep the pace to hold him off, his tyres will not be able to see this race out.
      Aston Martin has only ever had one podium finish before.
      What a chance for the experienced Alonso.
      Lap 43/57 – Leclerc out of race
      Not the opening race of the season Charles Leclerc wanted.
      Another unreliable Ferrari car costs him.
      It has opened up the race for a place on the podium for somebody else now.
      Red Bull will be glad that it was only a virtual safety car in place.
      Leclerc off the track, virtual safety car out
      Charles Leclerc experiences complete power failure.
      The virtual safety car is in place.
      He was having battery issues before the race and it seems the problems have back to haunt him.
      Lap 41/57 – Red Bull dominate, Alonso into fifth
      This is some drive by Fernando Alonso this evening.
      If he can finish above the two Mercedes, it will be some achievement.
      There is no love lost between the two drivers from their time together before.
      Meanwhile, Verstappen is having a comfortable drive.
      Lap 39/57 – Ferrari seem content with podium
      It seems with hard tyres being fitted to both cars now that Ferrari have given up on catching Perez.
      The most interesting battle is between Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton.
      Coming into turn ten the Spaniard takes Hamilton.
      This is a great watch.
      Credit: Getty
      Lap 37/57 – Verstappen leads, Alonso drops
      Max Verstappen has a huge lead from his teammate now, some 12.2 seconds.
      Leclerc and Sainz hold third and fourth.
      Alonso’s pitting cost him as he drops into sixth behind Hamilton.
      The Spaniard does have fresher tyres than the Englishman though.
      This is turning into a great battle between the pair.
      Lap 35/57 – Alonso moves into third
      Fernando Alonso is one of the only drivers to have not pitted twice so far.
      He is managing his tyres to try and build his lead.
      Verstappen meanwhile is 14 seconds ahead of Perez as he comes into the pits and it is the hard tyre that is fitted.
      Alonso finally takes his second pit of the race which sees Leclerc move back into third place.
      Lap 33/57 – Verstappen leads, Alonso into fourth
      Aston Martin have performed the undercut which sees Stroll get ahead of Russell coming out of the pits.
      Alonso is putting in some real fast lap times but is 22 seconds ahead of Lewis Hamilton.
      The Spaniard still needs to pit but is looking to build more of a lead to come out of them ahead of Lewis Hamilton.
      Lap 31/57 – Red Bull dominate pace, tyres key
      The last thing Red Bull would want to see in this race is the safety car.
      While they hold the front two places, tyre management is key for them now.
      They need to go onto a harder tyre.
      With Alonso putting pressure on Hamilton, threatening an undercut, his team tell him to pit.
      Credit: Reuters
      Lap 29/57 – Verstappen leads from Perez
      Perez is some 13.7 seconds behind his Red Bull teammate.
      Leclerc needs to focus on trying to break this Red Bull dominance but sits 5.1 seconds behind.
      Sainz then is a further 12.5 seconds behind.
      Ocon nightmare continues
      Esteban Ocon is having a race from hell today.
      Starting in the wrong position on the grid, he was awarded a five second penalty.
      Then, he was given a further ten second penalty for not carrying out the previous one correctly.
      Now he is being investigated for speeding in the pit lane.
      All of this and he sits in last position.
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      F1 Bahrain Grand Prix LIVE RESULT: Verstappen LEADS with Leclerc trailing, Piastri OUT – updates

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      THE 2023 Formula One season gets underway TODAY with the Bahrain Grand Prix – Max Verstappen leads after 16 laps, with Charles Leclerc trailing. Verstappen’s lead is growing with a huge 11-second gap.
      Early contact has affected Fernando Alonso who has dropped down to seventh place but is putting pressure on George Russell.
      Lewis Hamilton has jumped up from seventh to fifth, while Sergio Perez drops to third.

      Start time: 3pm UK/10am ET
      TV channel: Sky Sports F1
      Live stream: Now
      Grid: Verstappen (Red Bull), Perez (Red Bull), Leclerc (Ferrari), Sainz (Ferrari), Alonso (Aston Martin), Russell (Mercedes), Hamilton (Mercedes).

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      Lap 17/57 – Piastri out of race
      Oscar Piastri looks devastated as his race is over.
      The electrical issues could not be resolved and his car is being rolled back into the garages.
      Meanwhile, Perez having not pitted yet leads with a 9.9 second lead on Verstappen in second place.
      It seems Perez is looking to build a lead on Leclerc before heading to the pits himself.
      Lap 15/57 – Ferrari perfects double pit
      The distance Sainz was behind Leclerc worked perfectly there.
      As Leclerc came into the pits with a quick change, as soon as he leaves the lane, Ferrari call Sainz in.
      That was smooth as both drivers pitted and got straight out.
      Ocon has damage to his front wing and has been given a five second penalty for being on the wrong place on the grid.
      Lap 13/57 – Verstappen leads, Mercedes readies pit
      George Russell may need to come in for an early tyre change.
      It is being checked whether Ocon started in the wrong place on the grid which would carry a penalty.
      Defending champion Verstappen is now 8.6 seconds ahead of second place.
      Russell now has to stay on the track as Hamilton takes his chance to pit.
      This is a great battle as Russell has to concede and see Alonso go ahead of him.
      Lap 11/57 – Alonso putting pressure on Russell
      George Russell feels Lewis Hamilton is holding him up.
      With Fernando Alonso right on his tail, a mere 0.3 seconds, Russell is feeling the pressure.
      Verstappen is enjoying a comfortable race so far, opening up a 7.1 second gap to Leclerc.
      Credit: Splash
      Lap 9/57 – Verstappen thriving, Russell locks up
      As he comes into the bend, George Russell misjudges causing a lock up which sees him veer off the circuit slightly.
      He asks his team whether Hamilton is having issues as he felt he was going slowly.
      Only one second between the two drivers right now.
      Verstappen is going from strength to strength with a 6.1 second lead.
      Lap 7/57 – Verstappen ahead, Perez gaining
      Max Verstappen has made a strong start to the race.
      He is not having to worry about second place pressuring him.
      Perez is putting real pressure Leclerc in second place, only 0.7 seconds behind.
      Meanwhile, Verstappen has built a 5.3 second gap now.
      Lap 5/57 – Verstappen opening up, Alonso drops
      The early contact has really affected Fernando Alonso.
      He has dropped to seventh place with George Russell in sixth and Lewis Hamilton in fifth.
      Meanwhile, Verstappen has opened up a 4.1 second lead from Leclerc.
      Lap 3/57 – Verstappen leads, building gap
      Verstappen has opened up his lead to almost 2 seconds.
      Perez sits in third ahead of Sainz.
      None of the drivers are opening gaps like race leader Verstappen.
      Alonso is complaining to his team about being hit, unaware it was his own team.
      Credit: Getty
      Lap 1/57 – Verstappen leads from Leclerc
      There was some contact in the early stages.
      Alonso had some contact and there were concerns whether it had caused a puncture but all seems fine.
      Replays show it was Lance Stroll who made contact with his teammate.
      It’s not the first lap of a race without some bodywork on the circuit.
      Verstappen has a 1.1 second lead in the early stages.
      Lights out, F1 season is underway
      With 57 laps over the 3.6 mile circuit today, we are close to getting underway, the wait is over.
      There is no greater anticipation than the first race of the season.
      As the drivers being their formation lap under the Bahrain lights.
      Red Bull head the grid, closely followed by Ferrari, then Mercedes and Aston Martin.
      Ferrari with pre-race concerns
      After Charles Leclerc’s car saw part of it break off in qualifying, the team have been checking all is as it should be before the opening race of the season.
      There were also issues with Carlos Sainz’s battery which had to be replaced overnight and some work with the electrical components took place also.
      As we head to lights out, Ferrari will be hoping their car does not hinder the drivers at all today.
      Starting grid for Bahrain Grand Prix
      Like the first day of school, the new F1 campaign opens in the Persian Gulf this afternoon.
      In case you have missed any of the qualifying action, here is today’s starting grid.
      Credit: @F1
      Big things expected from front two
      Christian Horner looks relaxed as we head closer to the start of the race.
      With Verstappen and Perez holding the front two positions on the grid and seeing the performance of the car in practice and qualifying, they believe that the drivers can hold their grid positions to the finish line.
      There will be a few other drivers looking to address that.
      Credit: Getty
      Bahrain circuit offers interesting start
      The first corner always offers excitement for race fans.
      In particular, at Bahrain the approach of drivers can be slightly different with the first corner actually offering the chance to overtake on the outside.
      This could be something that Hamilton looks to utilise to improve his position as they come out of the second turn into the straight.
      Stats don’t look good for today’s winner
      For the last six years, the winner of the first race, wherever it has been, has gone on to finish second in the Drivers’ Championship. This has also happened two other times since 2000.
      36% of drivers in the last 22 years have won the first race and then finished runner up in the Drivers’ Championship.
      It started in 2017, Sebastian Vettel won the first race in Australia, then finished P2 in the Drivers Championship behind Lewis Hamilton.
      It continued in 2018, when the exact thing happened, Vettel finishing P1 in Melbourne, then P2 in the Championship with Hamilton taking the trophy.
      In 2019 Valtteri Bottas, Hamilton’s Mercedes teammate won the first race in Melbourne, then finished behind the Brit in the Drivers Championship, the exact same thing also happened in 2020, except Covid-19 restrictions meant that the first race was in Austria and there was no Australian Grand Prix. 
      In 2021, the year any Hamilton fan refuses to speak about, Hamilton won the Sakhir Grand Prix, the first race of the season, then Red Bull’s Max Verstappen won his first Drivers’ Championship.
      And last season, before Ferrari started having a ton of strategy issues, Charles Leclerc won the first race then finished P2 in Drivers Championship behind Verstappen.
      Research conducted by BonusCodeBets.
      Drivers’ changing allegiances in career
      As we head towards the first race of the season, there have been changes throughout the close season.
      If you were wondering how many teams your favourite drivers have actually raced for, we have all the answers for you.
      Fernando Alonso and Nico Hulkenberg lead the way.
      Credit: @F1
      Lewis rocks up with doctor’s note
      One of the most bizarre stories coming into the new season was that the FIA’s clampdown on jewellery.
      Hamilton claims he suffered an infection last year after having to remove it and it promptly returned for the Singapore Grand Prix.
      The British driver provided a doctor’s note warning of disfigurement, with the FIA accepting this and allowing Hamilton to continue wearing the jewellery.
      Champ surprised by end results
      Max Verstappen spoke about the practice sessions and qualifying and how he finally finished on the grid:
      It’s been a bit of a tough start to the weekend yesterday and today, not really finding my rhythm. But luckily in qualifying we managed to put the pieces together. I was positively surprised to be on pole after the struggles we had in practice.Max VerstappenRed Bull
      Team photo before first parade
      Here is the F1 drivers line-up before the first parade of the 2023 season.
      The atmosphere before the first race of the season is electric with fans and drivers alike.
      Although Fernando Alonso was the person really turning heads in qualifying.
      Credit: Reuters
      Ferrari looking for early edge
      The interesting moment in the final sessions of qualifying was Charles Leclerc’s decision to bow out early.
      It has been said that the Monegasque driver wanted to have a fresh set of soft tyres to start the race on.
      The majority of the front of the grid will not have this option and any of them opting for soft tyres will be using a used set.
      That is if any of them have a usable set as they went hard on them in qualifying.
      Focussed on the magic number eight
      Good news for F1 fans coming from some of the pre-race talk as Lewis Hamilton talked about his potential retirement from the sport.
      Hamilton has reiterated how he is focussed on that eighth world title and will not be considering bowing out of F1 until he has accomplished that and will be signing a new deal with Mercedes.
      With the issues they seem to have in getting this car just right to enable him to challenge, that may take a little longer than the British driver would ideally plan for.
      Hamilton uninspired by Mercedes’ performance
      When it came to the practice sessions on Saturday, Hamilton was flying around the track, finishing fourth fastest.
      He said he had expected the W1 to be a lot worse and was pleased that they had made it through to Q3 but felt it dip by qualifying the following day.
      “We made a step forward today and the car was feeling much more alive this morning, and all of a sudden, we were in a different place to where we were the day before. But then we got to qualifying and for me the car just didn’t feel alive, it felt kind of average.”
      The seven-time world champion will be hoping for better things today from his Mercedes.
      New season, completely new car
      Despite the expected dominance of Max Verstappen, all the talk after qualifying had to be on the performance of the Aston Martin.
      With both Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll finishing in the top eight on the grid, we have ourselves a genuine four-car race in the season opener.
      Red Bull, Ferrari, Aston Martin and Mercedes will do battle today and is perfectly poised for a classic race to get the 2023 FI season going.
      Welcome to the F1 Bahrain Grand Prix
      The 2023 F1 calendar gets underway today in  the Persian Gulf.
      Qualifying was a highly competitive event with Ferrari dominating Q1 and Q2, with Max Verstappen battling it out against the drivers but their early finishes allowed the Red Bull driver to book another pole position.
      Charles Leclerc sat in pole position until Verstappen put in a Q3 performance that saw him pip the Ferrari driver by a mere tenth ahead before improving on that with a 1:29.708.
      Ferrari deciding to save tyres for race day, Leclerc’s early exit allowed Sergio Perez book a one-two pole for Red Bull.
      Carlos Sainz could only manage to seal fourth place on the grid for Ferrari as he was left as their only hope going into the final qualifying session.
      Leclerc wasn’t the only one to burn through his tyres in the early qualifying sessions as Alonso, Russell and Hamilton were all missing from the latter stages.
      Fernando Alonso will be most pleased with his performance in the new Aston Martin, something he described as ‘too good to be true’ finishing above both Mercedes and only 0.628 seconds behind Max Verstappen.
      The Spaniard only has the Red Bull’s and Ferrari’s in front of him, while George Russell pipped Lewis Hamilton to fifth place on the grid.
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      Christian Horner names Red Bull’s direct rivals for 2023 and makes prediction for the F1 season ahead

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      RED BULL team principal Christian Horner is expecting a fierce tussle with Mercedes and Ferrari this season.After romping to the F1 constructors’ championship last year, all points return to zero ahead of this weekend’s opening Grand Prix in Bahrain.
      Christian Horner expects a fight from Ferrari and Mercedes
      Red Bull go into 2023 as the strong favouritesCredit: Getty
      Red Bull are favourites again, but Horner knows “our opponents are fiercely competitive and they won’t be standing still”.
      Speaking exclusively to SunSport, Horner said: “Our biggest threats this year would have to be both Ferrari and Mercedes. They are going to be fiercely competitive.
      “With the quality of their drivers, both of those teams are always dangerous.”
      Ferrari finished second last year, with Mercedes’ run as eight-time consecutive constructors’ champs crashing to an end with Toto Wolff’s team in third.
      READ MORE F1
      Both teams were over 200 points behind Red Bull in the standings as Max Verstappen won the drivers’ title with four races to spare.
      Red Bull looked most impressive during testing last week but it’s hoped 2023 could prove more competitive than last year.
      On the final day of testing in Bahrain, Sergio Perez topped the time-sheets with Lewis Hamilton in second and Ferrari duo Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz fourth and fifth.
      Horner also predicted that those outside the top three teams could be more of a threat.
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      Complete F1 2023 race calendar – details on every Grand Prix this year
      He said: “The competition will be very stiff from the front running teams.
      “I think the grid as a whole, in this second year of these new regulations, will start to converge and I’m expecting some really competitive racing.”
      The issue of porpoising, where cars would bump up and down, was a major issue for teams last season and updates to resolve the issue are sure to have an impact on the order according to Horner.
      He said: “The core specifications will inevitably have an effect (on results) and of course it is whichever team manages to deal with those regulation changes. The best will prevail.”
      Horner admits that topping last year in which Verstappen won his second consecutive drivers’ championship will be a tough ask.
      Speaking as PokerStars launch their 2023 partnership with Oracle Red Bull Racing, Horner said: “2022 was the most incredible year for us and the most successful season in our history. To retain the drivers’ championship and to reclaim the constructor’s championship after an eight-year absence was a monumental performance by the whole team.
      “I think it will be very difficult to beat the season we had in 2022 but of course you must always try to do better.
      “You’re always learning in this business, applying the lessons that you learnt from last year and implementing them into the following year.”
      The 2023 season will see 23 Grand Prix across the globe, with the addition of Las Vegas to the calendar which is something Horner is looking forward to.
      He said: “The race that will generate the most interest in 2023 is unquestionably Las Vegas.
      “The introduction of Vegas to the calendar made a lot of noise, it is a big venue and everyone has immense expectations.”
      The team principal cut a relaxed and confident figure during testing but if Mercedes and Ferrari can show they’re in the fight it will be a different story come lights out on Sunday.
      Read More on The Sun
      He said: “5 minutes to 2pm is when I feel most anxious!”
      PokerStars’ partnership with Oracle Red Bull Racing will see even more community rewards and epic experiences during the 2023 F1 season. For details visit: PokerStars.com
      Red Bull get their season under way on Sunday More

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      F1 2023 season predictions as Verstappen could have SHOCK title challenger but Brit stars set for season of misery

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      AFTER a winter break, the new F1 season kicks off this weekend in Bahrain.Last year’s champion, Max Verstappen was simply unstoppable as he blitzed his way to glory while Mercedes’ drivers were left dizzy by their bouncing car and Ferrari cocked it up.
      Max Verstappen won the Championship last yearCredit: Reuters
      But the points totals are reset and with Las Vegas also added to the calendar, here’s what The Sun’s F1 Correspondent Ben Hunt believes what’s in store for 2023…
      Championship winner
      It is so difficult to look past Verstappen for a handful of reasons.
      Sure, Mercedes and Ferrari and the others have had the winter to redesign their cars but there have been relatively few rule changes this time.
      That bodes well for Red Bull, whose car was not only reliable last season, but it was quick everywhere.
      READ MORE ON MOTORSPORT
      What does that mean? Well, each track has its own unique characteristics; long straights, slow-speed corners, hot weather or even altitude.
      But Red Bull designed a car that was suited to all of them.
      It makes the refining process over an F1 weekend easier when you start with a good base model each week.
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      Verstappen now has two championship wins – with both titles coming in different circumstances and he will benefit from that.
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      He is more experienced and, let’s face it, was the best performer on track last season, with barely any mistakes.
      His only potential weakness comes from within his team.
      His bitter fall-out with Sergio Perez could see tensions rising between the two team-mates.
      Constructors winner
      The Red Bull car looks like the one to beatCredit: Getty
      Red Bull’s win in the constructors’ championship last time scratched an itch, and they are determined to retain that trophy after years of Mercedes dominance.
      Based on pre-season testing, there is a widely-held opinion that their car again looks the one to beat.
      It is hard to disagree but this championship is surely not over before it has even started, and the aforementioned Perez – Verstappen pairing will be interesting.
      Aside from that, the rest of the team is a steady ship with no key departures or arrivals over the winter, like at their rivals.
      Boosted by Honda’s engines and technical partnership with Ford – and despite a reduction in development because of their cost-cap breach – if they get off to a good start, it could be too late for the other to catch up.
      Overperformer
      Fernando Alonso could impress for Aston MartinCredit: Reuters
      It seems slightly ridiculous to suggest that two-time world champion Fernando Alonso would overdeliver for his new team, Aston Martin, but I expect just that.
      Aston have spent millions and millions on recruiting the best in the business and now they have one in their star driver, who joins from Alpine.
      Alonso has a wonderful ability to overperform in whatever he is given and while I don’t wish to speak too much about their second driver, I fully expect Alonso to drag that car as high up the grid as possible.
      I am also incredibly interested to see how Brit James Vowles does in his new role as team principal of the Williams team after leaving Mercedes, where he was their chief strategist.
      Steadying the ship, and closing the huge gap to the rest of the field, is a big task but I think there is half a chance they can manage it.
      Underperformer
      McLaren have not had the most successful pre-seasonCredit: AFP
      The rumblings from McLaren aren’t great news if your name is Lando Norris.
      The Woking team had hoped to be able to build on last year’s improved end to the season.
      However, if you judge by the results from pre-season testing – where they were the team that put in the least amount of laps – then it could be another long hard season.
      There is no doubt that Norris can deliver wins and even titles but he needs to be given the car to do so, I am not too sure that’s going to be this season.
      He could find himself hamstrung and that would test the relationship with McLaren, and his deal that stretches to 2025.
      The Best of the Rest
      Charles Leclerc could be a challenger this year for FerrariCredit: AFP
      Charles Leclerc will welcome the appointment of new Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur, who will make it a priority to eliminate the strategic mistakes which cost the team last season.
      If Vasseur can cut out the errors, then Leclerc could find himself in a title battle with Verstappen.
      Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz could also benefit from Vasseur’s stability. Now that the Spaniard has a race win under his belt, I expect him to be more competitive.
      Mercedes duo of Lewis Hamilton and George Russell were left with mixed feelings after testing.
      The bouncing looks to have been cured but the problem is, Red Bull, Ferrari and Alpine and Aston Martin all look much quicker.
      Both Russell and Hamilton could have their work cut out but Mercedes’ strength is their work ethic and it will not be long before they are up to speed. There is potential for wins.
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      Perez will struggle to usurp Verstappen but their relationship will be key to Red Bull’s success.
      The focus will be on whether the Mexican is again willing to play a supporting role.

      Complete F1 2023 race calendar – every Grand Prix from this year More

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      F1 Bahrain Grand Prix: Date, UK start time, live stream, TV channel, practice, qualifying for 2023 season opening race

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      THE 2023 Formula One season gets underway with the Bahrain Grand Prix this weekend, with Max Verstappen aiming to become a three-time world champion. Red Bull dominated the 2022 season as they won 17 of 22 races with Verstappen taking a whopping 15 victories and team mate Sergio Perez two.
      Max Verstappen, Sergio Perez and Daniel Ricciardo at the launch of Red Bulls 2023 car.Credit: AFP
      Charles Leclerc on the podium at last season’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.Credit: Rex
      The pressure will be on new Ferrari team principle Fred Vasseur to deliver a title winning car as The Scuderia look for their first drivers title since Kimi Raikkonen in 2007.
      The 2022 car was fast but unreliable with Charles Leclerc taking 3 victories whilst Carlos Sainz took his maiden F1 win at Silverstone.
      Mercedes had a difficult 2022 season with the Brackley outfit only registering a solitary victory courtesy of George Russell at Interlagos.
      Lewis Hamilton failed to win a race for the first time in his Formula One career in 2022 and will be desperate to get back on the top step of the podium in 2023.

      Elsewhere on the grid Fernando Alonso replaced the retiring Sebastian Vettel at Aston Martin, Nico Hulkenburg returned to the sport with Haas, Pierre Gasly joined Alpine, Nyck de Vries joined Alpha Tauri, Oscar Piastri replaced Daniel Ricciardo at Mclaren and Logan Sargeant joined Williams.
      When is the Bahrain Grand Prix?

      The Bahrain Grand Prix will take place on Sunday, March 5.
      Practice gets going from 11.30am on Friday, March 3.
      Qualifying is on from 3pm on March 4.
      The race will begin at 3pm UK time.

      What channel is it and can it be live streamed?

      The Bahrain Grand Prix will be live on Sky Sports F1 with highlights on Channel 4.
      You can live stream the race on the Sky Go app which you can download on your tablet or mobile device.

      What are the teams and drivers?

      Red Bull: Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez
      Ferrari: Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz
      Mercedes: Lewis Hamilton and George Russell
      Alpine: Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly
      Mclaren: Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri
      Alpha Tauri: Yuki Tsunoda and Nyck de Vries
      Alfa Romeo: Valterri Bottas and Guanyu Zhou
      Aston Martin: Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll
      Haas: Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hulkenberg
      Williams: Alex Albon and Logan Sargeant

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      I was gifted a £250k Ferrari for winning World Snooker Championship… but I expect Ronnie O’Sullivan to break my record

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      STEPHEN HENDRY was once gifted a £250,000 Ferrari for winning the World Snooker Championship.The Scot has won the tournament a record seven times – a feat only matched by Ronnie O’Sullivan.
      Stephen Hendry has won a record seven World Snooker ChampionshipsCredit: Getty
      Stephen Hendry was gifted a Ferrari after one World Championship winCredit: Rex
      The Scot was gifted a Bentley Continental GT on one occasionCredit: PA
      He exploded onto the circuit winning his first World Championship in 1990 at the age of just 21.
      And on top of receiving the World Championship trophy for beating Jim White, Hendry was given a Bentley by his sponsors Sweater Shop.
      Hendry also revealed the generous company gifted him a Ferrari Spider 348.
      He told The Ben Foster Podcast: “When I won the World Championships one year they gave me a Ferrari.
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      “And another time they gave me a Bentley Continental GT as a bonus for winning the WC
      “One time I was clearing up against Jimmy [White] – I think it was when I beat him 18-17 – and I’m clearing the colours and I shouldn’t have been thinking about it, but I’m thinking I’m going to get a Bentley.
      “I should have been thinking ‘this is for the world title’ but I couldn’t help it.
      “They were amazing sponsors.”
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      CASINO SPECIAL – BEST ONLINE CASINOS FOR 2023
      Hendry established himself as one of the greatest snooker players of all time by beating Steve Davis’ record of six snooker World Championship wins.
      But he thinks O’Sullivan, 47, will be determined to go one better than him and claim an eighth title.
      He said after The Rocket won his seventh: “He’s taken snooker to new heights.
      “I’m actually surprised it’s taken him so long to get to seven – that’s how good he is! When I got six to equal Steve [Davis], I had to get seven.
      “I presume it’ll be the same for Ronnie, he’ll have to get eight. I’m sure he won’t be happy until he’s done that. That will be the aim – as simple as that.” More

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      Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes have back-up plan car and willing to SCRAP 2023 car if they fall behind Red Bull again

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      MERCEDES are willing to scrap their 2023 car and introduce a back-up design if they fall behind Red Bull. That is according to Sky Sports F1 reporter Ted Kravitz who believes the German-based team are putting in place measures to avoid last season’s slow start.
      If Mercedes get the car right, Hamilton could have a shot at a record-breaking eighth driver’s crownCredit: PA
      Mercedes engineers will have been hard at work during the winter trying to cut the gap to champions Red BullCredit: PA
      Mercedes installed a unique “zero sidepod” design to their car last year as F1 saw sweeping rule changes that triggered major adjustments across the grid.
      But the eight-times consecutive constructor’s champions quickly found themselves on the back foot with their bouncing car.
      Red Bull and Ferrari led the field with Mercedes trying to cling on amid some embarrassing results.
      Kravitz reports that Lewis Hamilton’s team are keeping faith with the car’s philosophy – but have other ideas on hand just in case.
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      He told Sky Sports: “They’re giving their big idea, which was a failure last year, one more go. But I believe they have a ‘Plan B’ in production.
      “If they need to, they can go to a Plan B – which is the Red Bull or Ferrari-style of doing things – in the middle of the season.”
      Mercedes are looking to be competitive again after a year out in the wilderness.
      They will get to put their car concept to test in pre-season over the next few days.
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      CASINO SPECIAL – BEST ONLINE CASINOS FOR 2023
      Testing last year gave the first sign that Mercedes had fallen from their perch with both Hamilton and teammate George Russell expressing frustration with the car’s flaws.
      Kravitz thinks the once dominant team will soon return to the forefront following their mini-revival towards the end of the season.
      He added: “These rules are what they are for a few years yet, so they’ve got to get it right at some point.
      “But at the moment they’re saying ‘Look we think we’ve got a proper handle on what went wrong last year, we still think our way – which is unique in the pit lane – having very slim sidepods is the way to go aerodynamically.
      “Most of the downforce is generated by the floor, which you can’t see, but they’re saying ‘Don’t expect anything too soon.'” More