SUMMARY
- Max Verstappen struggles in Bahrain FP1, finishing sixth behind Lewis Hamilton's leading Mercedes by a significant margin.
- Despite internal tensions in Red Bull, Verstappen remains confident in finding the optimal setup for RB20.
On the first day of free practice in Bahrain, Max Verstappen landed sixth, nearly half a second adrift from Lewis Hamilton’s leading time with Mercedes. Throughout the initial rounds, Verstappen had to tackle some of the gearbox issues. This very same concern has been recurring ever since the 2023 season. The Dutchman also encountered a minor understeer problem in specific corners on the Sakhir track.
Considering the early performance by the reigning champion, Verstappen feels the team has not quite nailed the RB20’s optimal performance zone. The Austrian outfit has been suffering from internal tensions due to the investigation of the claims of misconduct that was carried out against team principal Christian Horner.
The driver, who is famous for mastering or adapting to the car according to his driving style, has not found the ‘sweet spot’ as of yet. Nevertheless, he believes that they are not very far away from achieving it. Overnight work will be crucial to making strides for the qualifying session.
Max Verstappen unfazed by Lewis Hamilton’s Bahrain advantage
Verstappen consistently clocked laps under one minute and 37 seconds. Though exact fuel loads are unknown, Red Bull’s performance indicators were positive in terms of degradation and lap times. Lewis Hamilton claimed the top spot in FP2 for Mercedes. The 7x champion’s pace put him nearly half a second ahead of Verstappen.
Max Verstappen: It wasn’t bad, I think we’re all close. Someone else is probably already using more powerful mappings in terms of top speed, but we focus on ourselves.
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— Junaid #JB17 (@JunaidSamodien_) February 29, 2024
However, the 26-year-old Dutch maintained his composure, showing no concern about today’s results or the gap to Hamilton. In an encounter with the media, Verstappen said, “It wasn’t bad, I think we’re all close. Someone else is probably already using more powerful mappings in terms of top speed, but we focus on ourselves.”
His confidence in the RB20 was apparent when he further added, “Today we encountered some balance issues from front to rear, but nothing particularly big…Not everyone did so but some definitely do. I’m not worried about the gap to first place, but we will all be close in qualifying, it will be fun.” While Mercedes showed surprising speed in FP2, Red Bull might also be making efforts to conserve power.
Bahrain Grand Prix 2024: Qualifying predictions
VCARB driver Daniel Ricciardo led FP1, while Lewis Hamilton dominated FP2 with a Mercedes one-two. Despite hopes for a challenge, Max Verstappen seems well-prepared, with untapped potential in the Red Bull. The 2023 champion remains a strong contender for pole position, although Ferrari may unleash a more aggressive strategy in qualifying.
🚨Verstappen ‘not too worried’ after practice in Bahrain as he predicts ‘very close’ qualifying #f1 #BahrainGP pic.twitter.com/xmKg2GwR3k
— Racecast (@racecasttweets) February 29, 2024
Silver Arrows has already displayed formidable speed, setting the stage for an exciting race. Verstappen remains the favorite for pole position, though Ferrari and Mercedes are poised for contention. However, Charles Leclerc and George Russell are expected to join him on the podium. Surprisingly, Sergio Perez has shown promise but may struggle in qualifying, and might miss out on nabbing one among the top five.