Max Verstappen demands Red Bull uncover answers to slow start

Red Bull

Verstappen demands Red Bull uncover answers to slow start

Verstappen may have won in Bahrain but his weekend wasn't entirely straightforward

Thiemo Albers-Daly

Monday 6 March 2023 11:35

Max Verstappen has demanded Red Bull explore 'what went wrong' in the early stages of the Bahrain Grand Prix weekend despite emerging victorious on Sunday.

The reigning F1 champion failed to top any session prior to Q3 at the F1 curtain raiser as he struggled to find the balance he had enjoyed throughout pre-season testing.

Although he romped to victory by a margin of 11.987secs to team-mate Sergio Perez, Verstappen has impressed upon his team the need to find answers to these early struggles.

"We do have to make sure we keep developing," Verstappen told Viaplay.

"And also - as I said before - (we have to) investigate what went a bit wrong at the beginning of the weekend. Then I am sure we will come out even stronger.”

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Verstappen warns of Ferrari turnaround

Charles Leclerc, Verstappen's primary title rival last year, had looked set to finish third before his Ferrari engine failed on lap 40 of 57.

Verstappen suffered similar heartbreak in Bahrain 12 months ago and sympathised with the Monegasque.

Asked if this blow would feel 'like an uppercut' to the Ferrari driver, the Dutchman added: "I'm obviously not that familiar with boxing, how exactly that feels to someone else, but let's keep it that way for the most part.

"It's obviously a top start for us. (Last year) we were in the situation Charles is in now, in which, of course, you're very disappointed.

“But as you also saw last year, things can turn around very quickly."

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