Dutchman Max Verstappen of Red Bull won the first Formula 1 race of the season at the Bahrain Grand Prix.

The world champion had a brilliant start at the Sakhir circuit and led from start to finish, with his team mate Sergio Perez coming in closest to him.

The third place went to the Spaniard Carlos Sainz of Ferrari, and it is worth noting that Verstappen earned an extra point for recording the fastest lap. This victory is the Dutchman’s second in Bahrain and the 55th overall in his career, making him third all-time. British driver Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes finished seventh today and leads the list with 103 wins.

Yesterday’s qualifications were much tighter than Formula 1 experts predicted after testing, but the race confirmed Red Bull’s dominance with another double win. The next race is scheduled for next Saturday for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in Jeddah.