Max Verstappen emerged as the winner of the Q3 session in qualifying for the Bahrain Grand Prix on Friday, despite not leading in any of the previous practice sessions. Securing pole position, Verstappen jokingly apologized to his race engineer Gianpiero ‘GP’ Lambiase, as his victory came at the cost of 50 euros. Clocking an impressive time of 1:29.179, the current World Champion outpaced Charles Leclerc by 0.228 seconds and expressed his remorse over the radio, saying: « Sorry, GP! Haha! » Christian Horner, the team principal, reassured Verstappen, acknowledging his achievement by stating: « There’s nothing to apologize for, Max, it was a good start. Two tenths ahead of Charles and three tenths ahead of George. »
However, Verstappen’s triumph had a humorous twist, as he inadvertently cost GP 50 euros. This was the result of a bet between the race engineer and Red Bull’s motorsport advisor, Helmut Marko, who had bet against Verstappen securing pole position. Marko revealed the terms of the agreement and mentioned that he would share his winnings with the star driver, recognizing Verstappen’s impressive negotiating skills. Marko attributed Verstappen’s pole position to the « Max factor, » especially highlighting the improvements made after handling and setup issues during practice. He expressed optimism for the race, predicting fierce competition from teams like Ferrari and Mercedes, as well as a strong performance from Fernando Alonso, with Sergio Perez starting in fifth position.
Reflecting on a previous betting incident during the 2023 Abu Dhabi final, Marko admitted to underestimating Verstappen’s potential, resulting in a loss of 500 euros for Horner. He praised the team’s resilience in overcoming setbacks in training and emphasized Verstappen’s exceptional performance. Verstappen’s pole position in Bahrain not only marked a significant achievement, but also provided a relaxed moment in the intense world of Formula 1 competition, showing the camaraderie and competitive spirit within the Red Bull Racing team.
