Max Verstappen Dominates 2024 Bahrain Grand Prix: Red Bull's First Double Victory

2024-03-02 17:09:00

The 2024 season began the same way the previous one ended: with a lesson from Max Verstappen and Red Bull. Saturday, on the Sakhir circuit (Bahrain), the Batavian crushed the competition by achieving the 5th Grand Slam of his career. The three-time world champion converted his pole into his 55th victory, 22 seconds ahead of his teammate Sergio Pérez and Carlos Sainz (Ferrari). He also took the fastest lap point.

Alone in the world, without an opponent: Verstappen is already untouchable. Riding at the wheel of a supercharged RB20 that he has already tamed, the Dutch lion transformed the Bahrain Grand Prix into a long procession where the other drivers were content to drive behind him without ever seeing him.

Red Bull’s first double

Confident of his strength after qualifying complicated by a lack of grip, the pole-sitter led a two-stop race from start to finish, very quickly freezing the intentions of his competitors. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) was the first to understand the dire fate that awaited the rest of the field. From the first turn, the Monegasque saw the door suddenly close in front of him. Verstappen then took off into the Bahraini dunes, lining up the best laps with disconcerting ease.

Jostled on Friday during the fast lap exercise – everything is relative -, his team had in any case ensured the blow by maintaining a set of new softs unlike the teams making up the top 10. In the lead since the first third of the race, his drivers took advantage of this advantage to establish their domination and secure Red Bull’s first double of the season.

Sainz’s revenge

We were waiting for the Mercedes and the Ferraris, announced as the main threats to the red bull team. Starting in ninth position, Lewis Hamilton did not take advantage of his daring strategy and remained stuck in seventh place. George Russell made a mistake in the 47th lap against Leclerc. While the Monegasque had joined the Briton, the latter missed at turn 10, giving him fourth place.

‘Hamilton is going to be Mercedes’ lame duck’

The Scuderia Ferrari driver experienced two races in one: the first part gave fans a cold sweat due to a brake problem which caused numerous front wheel locks. A problem which dogged him throughout the race, even if he controlled his bike better by putting on hard tires.

After a complicated flight, Carlos Sainz got the most out of his SF-24 and was the only one to stay in contact with Pérez. Dumped by Ferrari who preferred Lewis Hamilton from 2025, the Spaniard proved his worth by getting on the podium behind the Red Bulls.

Anonymous race for Alpine

Behind the three teams mentioned, McLaren and Aston Martin shared the last points at stake in the opening round, Lance Stroll finishing tenth despite a collision at the start with Nico Hülkenberg (Haas).

Last at the start, the Alpines of Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly rode in the anonymity reserved for the back of the grid. The French crossed the finish line in 17th and 18th place and can thank Valtteri Bottas (Kick Sauber) and Logan Sargeant (Williams) for saving them from humiliation.