Verstappen took pole position in a tight qualifying on Saturday, and when Sunday's race came around, there was no stopping him.
The Dutchman got an early lead which with the fast Red Bull car only grew.
After the 57 laps on the barely 5.5 kilometer track, it was clear that he will start the 2023 season with a victory.
Behind the superb Verstappen, stablemate Sergio Perez was reasonably unthreatened in second place and Fernando Alonso, who already showed in Friday's practice that his Aston Martin is at a decent pace, snagged third place.
It is Alonso's 99th Formula 1 podium and his first since 2021.
- This is a wonderful car to drive, said the Spaniard on his communication radio.
For Ferrari it was a less successful day.
The stable is said to be the one that can best challenge Red Bull in the constructors' championship, but then they have to do better than in Bahrain.
Charles Leclerc had to break the race with courage