Max Verstappen Runs Perfect Race, Wins F1 Season Opener at Bahrain
The Dutch National Anthem continues to haunt F1 fans who root for anyone but the driver of the No.1 Red Bull Oracle RB20.
Max Verstappen had a perfect race by the numbers, starting on the pole, leading every lap, collecting the fastest lap of the race, and ultimately winning the F1 Season Opener at the Bahrain Grand Prix.
After the race he said that he was happy for the finish because these 'perfect' days don't always happen, a seemingly odd take after his 55th win.
“It’s always really special to have these types of days," Verstappen said on his dominance.
Along with his 55 wins in his nine-year F1 career, Verstappen has three consecutive championships, 33 poles, and 31 fastest laps. He's technically right that not every race finishes perfectly for him but he's closer to infallibility than anyone else.
Because of this dominance, it's easy to start watching the race for second as the more interesting part of the evening. Sergio Perez finished second to score his highest finish in nine rounds since his second-place finish at Autodromo Nazionale Di Monza.
Perez's second-place finish was 22 seconds behind. Last year Perez finished in the same position with a 10-second tighter interval.
Carlos Sainz in the No. 55 Ferrari finished third for his fourth podium since the start of the 2022 season. This is a very important win for the Spaniard as the shocking news of Lewis Hamilton to Ferrari in 2025 exposed that the driver is in search of a seat.
Sainz finished in front of his teammate Charles Leclerc who was battling serve brake issues throughout the race.
George Russell claimed the last spot in the top five for Mercedes followed by Lando Norris for Mclaren. The pair's teammates finished behind them with Hamilton in seventh and Oscar Piastri in eighth.
The Aston Martins were the final cars to claim points with Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll finishing in ninth and tenth respectively.
Constructors Kick Sauber, Haas, CashApp Visa, Williams, and Alpine all failed to collect points in the first GP of the season.
You Might Also Like
