Bahrain

Long run to Turn 1, a big braking zone, then a tight hairpin complex that sets up the race's most reliable overtake.

Fast, rhythmic mid-section with the stadium section and a pair of long right-handers that demand rear-end stability.

Technical final sector through Turns 12–14 with a short chute onto the main straight — traction here defines a lap.

The first Mercedes intra-team duel of the hybrid era. A late safety car bunched the field and Hamilton fought Rosberg for laps under the lights — defining the rivalry that decided the next two championships.

Romain Grosjean's Haas pierced the Armco at Turn 3 on lap one, splitting the car in two and erupting in flames. The halo and his 28-second extraction redrew F1's safety story overnight.

Fernando Alonso took third on his Aston Martin debut, the team's first F1 podium in its modern guise — a result that changed the perception of the 2023 grid before the next race.