Red Bull hoping for rapid Saudi recovery from Bahrain "hangover"

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has welcomed the fact the next F1 grand prix race is this weekend as he seeks an immediate cure for an horrific "hangover" sustained in Bahrain.

The team was on course for a solid two-four finish with Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez until late drama with the fuel systems in both cars forced them into retirement.

Just over three months on from ending the 2021 season on a high when Verstappen clinched the drivers' title, albeit in controversial circumstances, this was a sickening low to start the new campaign.

Suggested to Horner this weekend's Saudi Arabian Grand Prix was too soon for the team to fully diagnose the problem in Bahrain, he replied: "I actually prefer it this weekend so I don't have to wait two weeks with the hangover of this result.

"The encouraging thing is we were within a tenth [of a second] of pole, we were fighting with Charles [Leclerc] for a win, it was great racing.

"The regulations look like they've created that better racing, and disappointed not to get the podium."

Horner has insisted the problems that unfolded were "totally out of the blue" but that a thorough investigation will be undertaken.

"We'll strip the cars and get into it, whatever the issue was," added Horner.

"I suspect it's something similar with both because the symptoms looked very similar.

"We just need to get the cars back, get the fuel system apart and understand because we know the fuel was in there."

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