Max Verstappen finished the 2024 initial training session in sixth place after facing difficulties with the RB-20 car’s configuration.
The 2024 Formula 1 season has begun, with the Bahrain Grand Prix serving as the season opener. There is great expectation that Red Bull and Max Verstappen will continue their dominant form after impressive performances in pre-season testing. However, the current F1 world champion seemed to struggle with the RB-20, which features a radical design, during the first free practice session of the season.
Verstappen completed a significant number of laps during the FP1 over the weekend. However, the Dutch driver expressed dissatisfaction with the overall setup and calibration of the car. The three-time world champion voiced his dissatisfaction to his race engineer, stating that everything felt messy while driving. The 26-year-old Verstappen claimed that the car’s configuration significantly diverged from his preferences.
It is worth noting that Max Verstappen had previously set the fastest lap times before expressing his frustration. However, the Dutch driver faced some challenges during the session. The current world champion had difficulties with the RB-20 gearbox, including issues with gear shifts. After pre-season testing, Verstappen praised the new car, stating that it behaved exactly as he desired during the tests.
Despite the challenges faced during the first training session, the 26-year-old Verstappen is arguably the favorite for the first stage of the season. Red Bull has also made it clear during pre-season testing that they expect Max Verstappen to emerge victorious in the Bahrain GP and ultimately win the 2024 championship.
Milton Keynes, the location of the Red Bull Racing team, may be dealing with the car’s setup as Verstappen finished in sixth place at the end of the session. However, the current world champion and his team will collaborate to make the necessary adjustments before the start of the second training session, which will take place soon.
Fans undoubtedly hope that Max Verstappen’s initial difficulties lead to a competitive grid for Saturday’s race. However, Red Bull will work diligently to ensure that the RB20 performs optimally during qualifying. It is possible that Verstappen and the Milton Keynes team are deliberately downplaying their performance to deceive their rivals before revealing the true potential of the car.
