Gallery: Formula 1 Is Back!

Formula 1 returned this weekend with the opening Grand Prix of 2023 taking place in Bahrain. We’ve taken a look back at the weekend’s racing, and which team’s have been busiest off the tracks.

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen started the new season as he ended the last, with a dominant victory in the Middle East.

The two-time champion led the Bahrain Grand Prix almost from start to finish, initially lapping at a pace beyond his rivals and then controlling the race.

Oracle Red Bull Racing recently announced a partnership with fitness brand Built for Athletes for the 2023 and 2024 seasons.

Sergio Perez made it a Red Bull one-two when he secured second place under the lights in Bahrain.

Perez had won a fight with Charles Leclerc over second place before the Ferrari driver retired from third with 16 laps to go when he lost drive.

Last week, Formula 1 announced a huge 15-year deal with Premier League football club Tottenham Hotspur that will see the delivery of the world’s first-in stadium electric karting facility.

The story of the day belonged to Fernando Alonso. The Aston Martin driver dropped from fifth on the grid to seventh behind the two Mercedes drivers Lewis Hamilton and George Russell on the opening lap but fought back to take the final podium place.

Aston Martin’s commercial team has had a successful few weeks too, securing deals with Velocity Black, AvaTrade and Globe Trotter.

Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton found himself in a battle with Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz for fourth.

The British seven-time champion initially looked as if he might also pass the Ferrari, but he was unable to close in, as both suffered with tyres and had to settle for fifth.

The Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team recently announced a new multi-year partnership with artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud computing technology company G42.

Alfa Romeo’s Valtteri Bottas took eighth place, ahead of Pierre Gasly, who put in a strong drive from the back of the grid.

F1 fans travelling at the time of the race would have been able to watch the action after IMG has secured in-ship and in-flight rights to broadcast the next three seasons of the FIA Formula 1 World Championships on Sport 24 and Sport 24 Extra.

Alex Albon ensured Williams Racing made the points board, securing tenth position.

Back in February, Williams Racing announced a multi-year partnership with Gulf Oil International.

Lando Norris finished last for McLaren, hampered by a problem that required his car to be refilled with compressed air at regular intervals while team-mate Oscar Piastri retired with an electronics problem early on his debut.

Last month, McLaren Racing signed DP World as its latest commercial partner.