Max Verstappen secured victory in the Bahrain Grand Prix on Saturday ahead of Sergio Perez with a gap of more than 22 seconds. Carlos Sainz Jr came third on the podium – after a hard fought battle with Charles Leclerc including two overtakes.
“Today went even better than expected,” Verstappen said. “It was a lot of fun.”
George Russell finished in fifth place, with Lando Norris securing sixth for McLaren. Seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton taking seventh in the second Mercedes, in a race devoid of major incidents. Oscar Piastri from McLaren claimed eighth position, with Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll of Aston Martin trailing closely behind.
Max Verstappen’s triumph dismissed any doubts about Red Bull’s strength following the off-season or concerns about disruptions caused by an investigation into team principal Christian Horner’s alleged misconduct. Horner was exonerated on Wednesday and reaffirmed his denial of the allegations on Friday, following the circulation of purported leaked messages on Thursday. CNN has not independently verified their authenticity.
Ahead of the race, Horner was seen in the paddock with his wife, former Spice Girl Geri Halliwell-Horner, presenting a united front amid the controversy.
Verstappen’s 33rd career pole position, fastest lap, and race victory constituted his 12th ‘hat-trick.’ Max Verstappen trails only Michael Schumacher with 22 and Lewis Hamilton with 19 in terms of career trebles.
