The Dutch Max Verstappen (Red Bull) took his car in first place from the start of the Bahrain Grand Prixand so it was until the end, in the race that began the 2024 Formula 1 season. An overwhelming dominance of which his teammate, the Mexican, was also a victim. Sergio Czech Perez, who finished second, more than 22 seconds apart. The podium was completed by the Spanish Carlos Sainz (Ferrari), followed by his teammate, the Frenchman Charles Leclerc.
In any case, Verstappen’s victory is part of the scandal unleashed around the figure of his boss at Red Bull, the Englishman Christian Horner, declared “innocent” by the team itself after an internal investigation carried out due to the complaint against him by an employee for having sent him intimate photos, supposedly. Horner’s appearance with his wife this Saturday seemed to obey a strategy: to show that everything is behind us, although some leaks seem to extend the preponderance of the issue in the pits…
Oxygen for Horner
Red Bull’s performance is a oxygen tube for your director, Christian Horner, at the center of controversy since the beginning of February due to accusations of “inappropriate behavior” towards an employee, dismissed by the brand on Wednesday but which continue to cause people to talk after the dissemination on Thursday of an anonymous email with content of the alleged exchanges . The 50-year-old Briton, married to Spice Girl Geri Halliwell, with whom he entered the circuit hand in hand this Saturday in Sakhir, has denied the facts since the scandal broke.
Mohammed Ben Suayem, president of the FIA, Formula 1’s governing body, told the Financial Times a few hours before the race that the controversy surrounding Horner is damaging the sport, but that the Federation will not conduct its own investigation unless it receives a complaint. The Emirati leader assured that any complaint they present with the internal supervisor will be investigated, but that he has not received anything in relation to Horner’s situation. “He is damaging the sport,” Ben Sulayem told the newspaper. “He is harmful on a human level.”
On Wednesday, the parent company dismissed the complaint over Horner’s alleged inappropriate conduct toward a team employee. A day later, during practice for the Bahrain Grand Prix, An email allegedly containing evidence against Horner was sent to nearly 200 people. from the F1 paddock, including Liberty Mdia (the company that owns the category), the FIA, the remaining nine team leaders and various media.
The authenticity of the files has not been verified by The Associated Press and they came from a generic email. Horner has denied any wrongdoing and said in a statement Thursday that will not “comment on anonymous speculation.” Verstappen said after qualifying first on Friday that Horner “is completely committed to the team” but that he was also “a little distracted.” His victory this Saturday may help silence the noise surrounding a case that, despite being closed for Red Bull, may have new chapters in the immediate future.
And what happened in the race?
The three-time world champion also set the lap record on the night of Bahrain, also achieving the point for the fastest lap in a race in which there were no retirements among the 20 participants. At 26 years old, Verstappen reached his 55th victory in the highest category of motorsports, a number that impacts.
After starting from pole position in a race that takes place at nightfall, with an unusual cool in Bahrain -less than 20 degrees-the Dutchman gave a temperance class behind the wheel of his RB20.
Verstappen began his new title defense by dispelling doubts. Already the day before, achieving pole position, he had given a dose of reality to many skeptics. And this same Saturday, with the start of the calendar for the ‘Great Circus’, the Dutch He dominated from start to finish in the 57 laps competed on the Bahrain International Circuit.
At the start of Formula 1’s longest season (there will be 24 races), Verstappen is already showing signs that he could repeat his almost perfect record from 2023 when the Dutchman won 19 of 22 races to win his third consecutive championship.
Saturday’s was eighth consecutive victory for Verstappen. The streak began in September of last year; Also in 2023 he established a historical record in the category with 10 consecutive wins. Perhaps therein lies one of his 2024 goals: to surpass himself in this type of brand.
“Incredible, it was better than expected, the car was very good with all the tires and we had a lot of pace. Nothing could have turned out better. It’s always special to have these kinds of days. But it is a long season,” Verstappen warned.
”I felt very strong, the start was not ideal, but from there I was able to manage the tires and set my pace. I have been able to keep up with the Red Bull, but it has not been enough. “It is a step forward, but it is not where we want to be,” said Sainz, who will leave his position at Ferrari next year. Lewis Hamilton. The Mercedes driver, seven-time world champion, was seventh, two places behind his teammate, also British George Russell. Between them was his McLaren compatriot Lando Norris, while his teammate, the Australian Oscar Piastri, finished in eighth place. The Spanish Fernando Alonso and the Canadian Lance Stroll, the Aston Martin partner, completed the Top-10.
“It was a difficult race, the strategy already told us that we were the fifth car. We tried a different strategy to wait for something that could benefit us, but nothing has happened. We confirm that there are four teams ahead of us,” said the Spaniard, double world champion almost two decades ago (2005 and 2006).
Formula 1 travels to Jeddah, where the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix will be held next week. Once again, qualifying will be held on Friday and the race on Saturday.
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