BAHRAIN, BAHRAIN – MARCH 02: Max Verstappen, from the Netherlands, driving the (1) Oracle Red Bull Racing RB20 on the track during the Bahrain Formula 1 Grand Prix at the Bahrain International Circuit on March 2, 2024 in Bahrain, Bahrain. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images)
The Dutch driver crossed the finish line with a 22.4-second advantage ahead of his teammate Sergio Perez, who was driving a similar RB20 car. Verstappen achieved this feat after starting from the front position, leading every lap and setting the fastest lap, thus completing a remarkable “grand slam” performance.
Verstappen expressed his disbelief at the result, stating that the day went even better than he had anticipated. He thoroughly enjoyed the race and felt extremely comfortable in the car.
The qualifying session on Friday was intense, and the practice sessions saw different teams leading the charts, none of which was Red Bull. This fueled hopes for a more competitive race on Saturday. However, Verstappen’s dominant victory quickly dashed those hopes, leaving a sense of resignation and apprehension among the other teams.
Last year, Verstappen also won the season-opening race in Bahrain from pole position. However, his victory on Saturday was even more dominant, with a larger margin of victory and the additional achievement of the fastest lap.
Verstappen’s victory sets the stage for a potentially exceptional season, with 19 wins in 22 races in 2023. Considering the difficulty in challenging Red Bull, as evidenced by the opening of the 2024 season, there is a strong possibility that Verstappen could surpass his previous record. Rival teams do not rule out this possibility.
When asked if Verstappen could be unbeatable, Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff reluctantly admitted, “Unfortunately, yes.” He acknowledged Verstappen’s exceptional levels of performance and described him as being in a league of his own, even in a different galaxy.
In the Bahrain Grand Prix, Mercedes drivers George Russell and Lewis Hamilton finished fifth and seventh, respectively. This was due to an error in the cooling settings of their W15 cars, as reported by Abhishek Takle, with additional reporting from GrandPrix247.
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