Max Verstappen secured the Bahrain Grand Prix, becoming the first driver to win a race with Red Bull’s own power unit. Although the Dutchman fell back at the start when controllers had to wait for power to kick in, he clawed back to the front, beating Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli and George Russell.
Start‑Line Hiccups and Tactical Recovery
Verstappen was seated on pole but the launch was “very hectic,” the Red Bull driver said, admitting a temporary power loss rendered his getaway “bad.” The German‑based team’s choice of intermediates helped clear the way once the track dried, allowing Verstappen to advance lap after lap under his own pace.
“From there, once we could do our own race, then we had the safety car, but we kept it all under control,” he added after the 1 h 40‑minute delay caused by heavy rain. The safety car routine granted the Dutchman a clear path on the restart, enabling him to preserve the advantage until the finish.
Red Bull Powertrains Project Praised
Sky Sports analyst Martin Brundle hailed the win as “hugely impressive” for the team. “Christian Horner got a very good group of people together to start the Red Bull Powertrains project,” Brundle said. “That’s a huge victory for the team – power unit and chassis – from Milton Keynes.”
In the post‑race interview, Verstappen told former driver David Coulthard, “It’s a really nice one after the year we’ve had and the progression we’ve made,” before stressing pride in all team members for beating rivals and delivering a first-season win with the new unit.
Photo by Lillian Suwanrumpha / AFP via Getty Images.
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