How Verstappen and Red Bull Lost Their Edge in Bahrain

 

How "everything went wrong" for Verstappen and Red Bull in the Bahrain GP Max Verstappen's Bahrain Grand Prix was marked by a series of uncharacteristic errors by Red Bull. Starting seventh, he managed to gain only one position, finishing sixth. Verstappen cited issues with his pit stops, including a delayed release and a slow front-right tyre change. He also struggled with balance and tyre management, noting that the tyres were overheating. Verstappen described the race as "not to our standard" and acknowledged that the team's problems went beyond just brake issues. See also:Luka Modrić Becomes Minority Owner of Swansea City

Car Performance and Balance Issues: The Red Bull RB21 struggled with grip and balance all weekend. Verstappen reported a lack of front-end responsiveness and poor brake feel, which made the car inconsistent and difficult to drive. The aggressive Bahrain track surface and high temperatures amplified these weaknesses, causing excessive tyre wear compared to rivals like McLaren. See also:The 10 most infamous corruption scandals in football history

Overheating Tyres: Tyre degradation was a major problem. Verstappen noted that the car overheated its tyres, especially in the first stint, compromising pace. The hard tyres, used after his first pit stop, were particularly ineffective, leaving him “sliding around” and unable to maintain competitive lap times.

Poor Start: Verstappen’s race began badly with excessive wheelspin at the start, costing him positions early on. This compounded the challenge of recovering from his P7 grid slot.

Pit Stop Blunders: Both of Verstappen’s pit stops were problematic. The first, on lap 10, was delayed by a malfunctioning light system that failed to switch from red to green, costing him valuable seconds. The second stop, on lap 26, was even worse at 6.2 seconds due to a sticky front-right wheel, dropping him to the back of the field. These errors were described as below Red Bull’s usual standards.

Qualifying Struggles: Verstappen’s troubles started before the race, with a disappointing P7 in qualifying. Brake issues and a lack of grip left him 0.582 seconds off pole-sitter Oscar Piastri’s pace. He described the car as “inconsistent” and felt the team had tried everything without finding a solution.

Strategic Missteps: The decision to switch to hard tyres early in the race backfired, as they didn’t suit the car’s setup, further hampering Verstappen’s pace. While he later switched to mediums, which performed slightly better, the damage was done. Verstappen noted that P6 was likely the best possible result given the circumstances.

Team Frustration: The weekend’s woes led to visible tension within Red Bull. Post-race, Verstappen’s manager reportedly confronted advisor Helmut Marko, reflecting broader dissatisfaction. An emergency meeting involving key team figures like Christian Horner and Marko underscored the urgency to address the car’s issues.