Team: "We are happy with your management now."

Alonso: "They have more deg so let's see how they use it. Let's get a bit closer and see what they do."

Image source, Getty Images

When your race continues to go downhill.

Esteban Ocon has been penalised twi already but now the stewards are investigating the French Alpine driver for speeding in the pit lane.

Dear oh dear.

Hamilton: "Let me know what you need me to do. Do I need to pick up the pace?"

Team: "You have some of the best deg of the field so we are happy for you to pick up the pace now."

Image source, Getty Images

1. Max Verstappen (Red Bull)

2. Sergio Perez (Red Bull)

3. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)

4. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari)

5. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)

Image source, Getty Images

James: I’ve made the schoolboy error of getting too excited for a season after testing and the first free practice sessions. This season could be even more of a formality than the last

Back to where we started then. Max Verstappen leads, team-mate Sergio Perez in second and Charles Leclerc in third.

Charles Leclerc is coming under pressure from third-placed Sergio Perez. The Red Bull man waits patiently to make his move and then pounces on the prancing horse.

Ferrari's Leclerc tries to slip through on the Mexican within seconds of losing his place but Perez has DRS and goes off into the distant in second spot.

Andrew Benson
BBC Sport’s chief F1 writer

Charles Leclerc's concern is what should he do with his next set of tyres? Does he go hard or soft? I think he is looking at keeping his place on the podium [rather than pushing for a win].

Esteban Ocon is now in possession of a 10-second time penalty after serving his five-second punishment incorrectly.

Image source, Getty Images

Degradation on the hard tyres is lower than expected.

Alex Albon is running in 10th position in the Williams and is looking good for a point in Sakhir, as Yuki Tsunoda says he's struggling with his Alpha Tauri down in 11th.

Image source, Getty Images

Ian: It appears the 2022 budget breach fine makes no difference to Red Bull. The car is just so quick.

Roxy: Ocon possibly being penalised for not serving his penalty correctly. Amazing.

The penalty was for being out of position at the start of the race.

Sam Bird
Formula E driver on BBC Radio 5 Live

We have heard from Max Verstappen saying his problem with downshift is "manageable". So his car is just manageable yet his is still 11 seconds ahead of everyone else. I wonder how far he would be ahead if his car was great?

Max Verstappen, on the soft tyres, holds a 10-second advantage over the Ferrari of Charles Leclerc on the hard rubber.

Third-placed Sergio Perez is the latest driver to be crowned with the purple fastest lap stopwatch.

Oh dear. Did Esteban Ocon serve his five-second time penalty incorrectly? The stewards are having a look...

Andrew Benson
BBC Sport’s chief F1 writer

I think Valtteri Bottas is probably on a three-stop, whereas I think everyone above him is probably on a two-stop. So I don't think he is really in the race.

Lance Stroll didn't get any running during pre-season testing but the Canadian is trying his best to show he can be in the fight during this opener in Bahrain.

The Aston Martin man goes through on Valtteri Bottas to take the Alfa Romeo driver's eighth place.

Rosanna Tennant
5 Live F1 reporter

We've just seen our first retirement and it will be disappointment for Piastri who can't even get his first race under his belt. The team is telling me it's an electronics issue.

Sam Bird
Formula E driver on BBC Radio 5 Live

Is this race going to go a two-stopper or three-stopper? I think most in the top five are going to have a two-stop race.