Source: Official Team Post via X
Sepang's First Lap: Winners and Losers in a Wet and Wild Start
The first lap of the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia was a rollercoaster of gains and losses thanks to mixed weather and diverse tyre strategies. Arvid Lindblad emerged as the biggest gainer, while Charles Leclerc found himself at the back of the pack.
The Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia offered an unforgettable first lap filled with drama at the Sepang International Circuit. With rain clouds looming, drivers faced a tricky choice between slicks and intermediates as the track gradually dried. The race was initially delayed due to thunderstorms, and several drivers struggled to maintain their positions during the formation lap, leading to a tense start under the Safety Car.
When the race finally kicked off, it was a slippery affair that saw drivers employing varied tyre strategies. Some, like Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc, gambled on soft slicks, while others, including Lando Norris and Fernando Alonso, went for medium compounds. Meanwhile, a handful of drivers, including Arvid Lindblad and Esteban Ocon, wisely opted for intermediates.
The first lap revealed who made the right call. Lindblad was the standout performer, vaulting from 22nd to 9th, gaining 13 positions. Ocon and Alex Albon also made significant strides, each climbing 10 places. Liam Lawson and Carlos Sainz also enjoyed a fruitful first lap, both gaining seven positions.
On the flip side, not everyone had such a lucky start. Charles Leclerc, who began in 4th, found himself plummeting to 22nd, losing a staggering 18 places. Lewis Hamilton also faced a challenging lap, dropping from 2nd to 17th, a loss of 15 spots.
The mixed conditions and strategic calls made for a captivating start, with drivers like Sergio Perez opting to pit at the end of the first lap to switch to intermediates, followed by Oscar Piastri, Gabriel Bortoleto, Lance Stroll, and Nico Hulkenberg.
The table below captures the gains and losses of the first racing lap at Sepang:
| Driver | Starting position | After one lap | Gained/lost | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Lindblad (inter) | 22nd | 9th | +13 places | | Ocon (inter) | 17th | 7th | +10 places | | Albon (inter) | 18th | 8th | +10 places | | Lawson (inter) | 11th | 4th | +7 places | | Sainz (inter) | 13th | 6th | +7 places | | Perez (inter) | 20th | 14th | +6 places | | Russell (inter) | 7th | 2nd | +5 places | | Hadjar (inter) | 8th | 5th | +3 places | | Hulkenberg (inter) | 15th | 12th | +3 places | | Antonelli (inter) | 3rd | 1st | +2 places | | Stroll (inter) | 14th | 13th | +1 place | | Colapinto (soft) | 21st | 20th | +1 place | | Bortoleto (inter) | 10th | 11th | -1 place | | Verstappen (inter) | 1st | 3rd | -2 places | | Bottas (soft) | 19th | 21st | -2 places | | Bearman (soft) | 16th | 19th | -3 places | | Piastri (inter) | 6th | 10th | -4 places | | Alonso (medium) | 12th | 16th | -4 places | | Gasly (soft) | 9th | 18th | -9 places | | Norris (medium) | 5th | 15th | -10 places | | Hamilton (soft) | 2nd | 17th | -15 places | | Leclerc (inter) | 4th | 22nd | -18 places |
As the race unfolded, these early shifts set the stage for an intriguing strategy game, with some drivers reaping rewards and others left to ponder what might have been.