MOSCOW, 20 Mar. Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc has won the first round of the 2022 Formula 1 season, the Bahrain Grand Prix. On Sunday, Leclerc started from pole position at the Sakhir Circuit. Monegasque won his third career victory (in 2019 he won the Belgian and Italian Grands Prix), also on account of his fastest lap in the race. The second to the finish line was the teammate of the Monegasque Spaniard Carlos Sainz (+5.598 s), the third was the seven-time world champion Briton Lewis Hamilton from Mercedes (+9.675). Ferrari won the Grand Prix for the first time since 2019. Also finishing in the top ten at the end of the race were: 4. George Russell, Mercedes, 5. Kevin Magnussen, Haas, 6. Valtteri Bottas, Alfa Romeo , 7. Esteban Ocon, Alpin, 8. Yuki Tsunoda, Alfa Tauri, 9. Fernando Alonso, Alpin, 10. Zhou Guangyu, Alfa Romeo. At the end of the race, both pilots retired due to technical problems “Red Bull” – the current champion Dutchman Max Verstappen and Mexican Sergio Perez. In the course of the 46th lap, the car «Alfa Tauri» Gasly caught fire, in connection with which a safety car appeared on the track. The rider was not injured. The second stage of the season will be held in Saudi Arabia on March 25-27.
