WEEKEND WARM-UP: F1 gets set for the start of the 2023 season in Bahrain

The 2023 Formula 1 season is all set to get under way at the Bahrain Grand Prix, and our Weekend Warm-Up crew are back to preview all the action, and to give you the latest insight from the F1 paddock.

Max Verstappen comes into the weekend looking to make a fast start to the campaign, as he looks to defend his championship, and in the process win his third successive title. However, he will have plenty of competition this weekend, especially from last year’s Bahrain GP winner, Charles Leclerc.

MUST-SEE: The brand-new F1 opening title sequence for 2023

Also on the agenda, the crew examine Mercedes’ performance, as the eight-time world champions look to rebound from finishing third in the constructors’ championship in 2022, but can they match Red Bull and Ferrari?

They also discuss Aston Martin’s impressive performance in pre-season testing, that has left many wondering whether they have not only leapfrogged Alpine, McLaren and Alfa Romeo in the midfield battle, but also caught up to Mercedes.

Click on the video player above to join Laura Winter, Will Buxton, Jolyon Palmer, and Lawrence Barretto, as they discuss all the major topics in the F1 paddock ahead of the season opener in Bahrain.