Verstappen is bored to victory – espresso saying from Schumacher

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Was standing: March 2, 2024, 6:10 p.m

From: Marius Epp

PressSplit

Cards reshuffled? Are you kidding me? Are you serious when you say that! Max Verstappen is also driving away from everyone in the new Formula 1 season. The race in Bahrain in the ticker for reading.

57/57: And now it’s official: Max Verstappen wins the Bahrain Grand Prix! Sergio Perez completes the Red Bull double victory, Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz completes the podium. Charles Leclerc is fourth, George Russell is fifth. Nico Hülkenberg finished the race in a disappointing 16th place.

formula 1 in Bahrain: Final score after 57 of 57 laps

55/57: The last two rounds in Bahrain – Max Verstappen will win the race in Sakhir. His lead over Perez has grown to more than 20 seconds. Carlos Sainz will no longer miss third place.

52/57: “Are you kidding me?” Tsunoda doesn’t react enthusiastically to his team’s announcement that he should let his teammate Ricciardo pass. But the Australian can drive faster and is reluctantly waved through by the Japanese. “Thank you, I appreciate it,” Tsunoda hisses ironically into the microphone.

Ferrari driver Leclerc overtakes Mercedes driver Russell

49/57: And then it happened: Russell didn’t take a corner perfectly, Leclerc took advantage of the mistake and passed. However, he is eleven seconds behind his teammate Carlos Sainz. The podium is still a long way away.

46/57: The most interesting duel takes place between positions four and five: Leclerc is chasing Russell, who seems to be having more and more problems in the Mercedes. Leclerc comes closer.

Schumacher’s espresso saying above Verstappen

44/57: Sky expert Ralf Schumacher humorously summarizes Red Bull’s renewed dominance: “Max Verstappen is just getting an espresso.” In fact, nothing should burn there today. Good news for Red Bull and everyone who supports the Dutchman – bad news for Formula 1.

42/57: The Ferraris become faster than the competition as the vehicle weight decreases. Is there still something in the direction of a podium for Leclerc?

40/57: Verstappen sets the fastest lap of the race, Hülkenberg makes a mistake and loses a position.

37/57: Perez gets 18 seconds from his teammate Verstappen – that’s a lot. The Mexican is not presenting himself at eye level in the new season either.

36/57: Sainz comes into the box and will stay in front of Russell. As of now, there are no changes to the positions.

Formula 1 in Bahrain: Drivers are watching each other

32/57: At the moment it is a phase of surveillance: most drivers save the attacks for the final phase of the race. Also because the condition of the tires is becoming increasingly worse. In the foreseeable future, some cars will come into the pits for the second time.

29/57: Nico Hülkenberg’s race pace is reasonably good – but the only German in the field is still struggling to get over his collision on the first lap, which resulted in an unplanned pit stop. He is currently in 19th place and is creeping up on the man in front of him lap after lap.

27/57: The gap between Verstappen and Perez is growing rapidly. The Dutchman obviously wants to give himself enough time for a bonus pit stop and is pushing the tube. The lead is already 14 seconds.

23/57: Verstappen is almost ten seconds ahead of his teammate Perez – and is confidently managing the lead for the time being. It’s tight between Leclerc and Russell. The Monegasse grabs hold of the young Englishman’s rear wheel, but doesn’t get close enough to overtake.

Verstappen is doing his laps alone at the front – Hamilton has problems

19/57: Max Verstappen is once again doing lonely laps at the front. Anyone who had hoped for a change of guard for the dominator will be disappointed in Bahrain. The world champion seems to have everything under control. Meanwhile, his rival Lewis Hamilton complains about problems with the energy recovery system. The Brit is a bit stuck in eighth place – the future Ferrari star won’t be happy with that.

18/57: The two Ferrari drivers are providing the most exciting duels today – between each other! Sainz and Leclerc get into each other again and the Spaniard ends up passing his teammate again. He seems to have had a better day today. Leclerc complains about problems with the brakes and complains on the team radio: “I can’t fight like this!”

15/57: The first pit stop phase is in full swing – Perez turns out to be the beneficiary, coming out of the pits ahead of Russell and thus gaining a position. Verstappen still remains outside.

11/57: Sainz and Leclerc swap positions because the Spaniard is traveling significantly faster than his teammate. However, Leclerc doesn’t let him pass voluntarily.

Williams driver Sargeant with an unusual outing

10/57: End of Logan Sargeant’s work day? The Williams driver rolls out next to the track and gets annoyed on the team radio. But then, surprisingly, things seem to be moving on for the American. At least Hülkenberg can now hand over the Red Lantern to him.

9/57: Hülkenberg can make up a little ground on those in front of him. However, the path to the points is still very long. Meanwhile, Leclerc is fighting hard and doesn’t want to give up third place just like that. He has a close duel with Perez.

7/57: Things are now getting bitter for Leclerc too! His Ferrari doesn’t seem to give much, and now Perez is taking it too. The Mexican thus secured third place.

4/57: Russell is faster than Leclerc in the first laps and overtakes the Monegasque with a strong maneuver. Meanwhile, Verstappen can pull away from the front by just three seconds. Hülkenberg greets from the end of the field after his forced stop. Things aren’t going particularly well for veteran Alonso either, who is passed through to eighth place.

Hülkenberg drama in the first round

4:02 p.m.: AND LET’S GO! The Bahrain Grand Prix is ​​underway. Verstappen gets off to a good start, but Leclerc immediately attacks in the first corner! The Dutchman can fend off the attack. Perez concedes Sainz. And then it gets very bitter for Hülkenberg! The German destroys his front wing in a mini-collision and has to pit. The good starting position is gone after the first lap.

4 p.m.: Things are getting serious in Sakhir! The lights will go out in a few minutes.

Update, 3:58 p.m.: Experience has shown that the start and especially the first corner in Bahrain are tough. Who can stop Max Verstappen? It’s about to start, the cars are getting ready for the introductory lap.

Update, 3:03 p.m.: Formula 1 fans still have to wait less than an hour before the time has finally come: the lights go out at the first Formula 1 race of the season. In qualifying, the teams were extremely close in terms of pace – a circumstance that promises excitement for the new season.

The sport also craves excitement – after all, Max Verstappen and Red Bull have dominated the past few seasons almost at will. The pursuers Ferrari and Mercedes worked hard on their cars during the winter break, and today we can see whether their work is bearing fruit.

Nico Hülkenberg will most likely not intervene in the World Cup fight at Haas. Will he still be able to pull off a surprise in the first race of the season?

First report from March 2nd: Sakhir – Unimpressed by the headlines surrounding his team boss, Max Verstappen has secured pole position for the start of his fourth Formula 1 title race. The 26-year-old Dutchman raced to first place in qualifying for the Bahrain Grand Prix in Sakhir on Friday and commented on it over the radio with a hearty laugh.

“It was pretty fun. But it was a bit unexpected,” said Verstappen with a mischievous smile. After turbulent days for the world champion team and an initially slightly weak champion, it was the perfect sporting start to this season.

Formula 1 in Bahrain: Verstappen on pole ahead of Leclerc and Russell

Charles Leclerc in the Ferrari took second place on the grid for the race this Saturday (4 p.m. CET/TV information can be found here) due to the upcoming Islamic fasting month of Ramadan, ahead of George Russell in the Mercedes. Carlos Sainz finished fourth in the Scuderia’s second car.

Record world champion Lewis Hamilton, for whom Sainz has to vacate his Ferrari cockpit after the season, did not get past ninth place – one place ahead of the surprisingly strong Nico Hülkenberg in the Haas.

Horner affair overshadows Formula 1’s first race of the season

After constant headlines and anonymous emails from Red Bull’s team boss Christian Horner, Formula 1 switched to knockout mode for the first time this year on the cool evening in the Sakhir desert. “The time has come that we have to concentrate on racing,” Mercedes motorsport director Toto Wolff told the broadcaster Sky: “Of course it annoys everyone, but at some point you have to turn it off.”

Formula 1 start: Who was that for you? Driver of the day in Bahrain?

The matter is far from over, even though an employee’s complaint against Horner for inappropriate behavior was dismissed by the Red Bull parent company on Wednesday. After the emails appear, a reaction from the world association and Formula 1 bosses is expected. (epp/dpa)