Fernando Alonso is hit by Aston Martin teammate Lance Stroll but makes it onto the podium after battling Lewis Hamilton while Max Verstappen wins the Bahrain Grand Prix

New season, same result as Max Verstappen took a stunning win at the Bahrain Grand Prix – but there was plenty of drama elsewhere.

Dutch star and second-placed teammate Sergio Perez had it easy, especially when Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc had to retire.

But the battle between Mercedes and Aston Martin will delight fans in 2023.

Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso rolled back the years as they battled for positions, with teammates Lance Stroll and George Russell also playing their part at various points.

And Alonso was able to secure a huge podium despite being hit by his team-mate on the first lap and finished third, while Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz struggled with tire management at a tough Bahrain track.

Sainz was circumcised by his compatriot, but no offense was committed.

Hamilton, who finished fifth, did have Sainz in his sights but failed to capitalize on a bumpy ride for the Ferrari.

Stroll completed the top 6, which is impressive considering he currently has his wrists pinched and a broken toe from a bike accident.

The first incidents of the new season came just seconds into the race when Leclerc gave Perez a nudge as the rivalry between Red Bull and Ferrari renewed.

Elsewhere, just after the green light, Alonso had a problem.

“I got hit!” Alonso exclaimed over the team radio, but little did he know it was his own teammate Stroll who had tried to throw an inside dart while avoiding another collision.

The move cost both riders places and could have left their new partnership frosty from the start, but the pair made an excellent recovery.

McLaren had a tough week and it didn’t get much better as Oscar Piastri – their new signing – retired early with an electronics problem and Lando Norris had a pneumatic problem but managed to stay out.

Elsewhere, Esteban Ocon endured one of the most embarrassing races in history when he suffered three penalties during the Grand Prix before retiring.

First, he lined up just outside his box on the starting grid. Then, while he was serving his first infraction penalty, a mechanic started work on his car too early while he was also too fast in the pit lane.