Formula 1 world champion in the crisis
“Disaster”: Verstappen Stocksauer to Bahrain-GP
04/13/2025 – 8:20 p.m.Reading time: 2 min.
The four -time world champion and defending champion experiences a disappointing race in Bahrain – and then speaks the frustration of the soul. Red Bull consultant Helmut Marko says a warning.
Get into the race from seventh place, reached sixth at the end-and also experienced a race full of problems with the car and breakdown in the team: The Grand Prix of Bahrain was a race weekend for forgot for Formula 1 World Champion Max Verstappen and Red Bull.
After the race on Sunday evening (more read here) Verstappen in TV said: When asked by Sky reporter Sandra Baumgartner, what went wrong, the Dutch directly interrupted and replied: “All. Start, Pace, Pitstops (pit stops, note), everything.”
Verstappen reacted to the following question, which was about shaking their heads. Then the answer: “Of course we already have problems with the tire wear and overheating. And then the Pitstops – no idea what went wrong. That was also a disaster.” In one scene, Verstappen even had to be overtaken by the highly talented 18-year-old Mercedes pilot Kimi Antonelli.
What happened? The 27-year-old had complained several times during the race on box radio. “Everything is overheating,” he said in the initial phase of the run, later: “I can’t even brake anymore, that’s just ridiculous.” At the first pit stop in round eleven, Verstappen was only able to drive off delayed because the traffic light that should actually give him the signal did not work properly, switched to green too late and cost him two important seconds.
“I have to say: In the end, sixth place was the best that was still possible,” Verstappen summarized the race. Of four seasonal races, the dominant driver of the past few years has only been able to win one thing, only drove to the podium for one more time, and was able to reach a pole position. McLaren around Lando Norris and Oscar Piatri is currently significantly better than Red Bull.
Red Bull motor sports consultant Helmut Marko also became clear after the race. When asked whether the weekend was even worse than expected from a Red Bull perspective, the Austrian replied to Sky: “Yes.” Even more: “Our car is simply not balanced. We don’t know where the worm is in there. And if two pit stops go wrong, the mood is also lost at Max.” Marko said: “He is right about the criticism of Verstappen.”
And further: Marko warned of the future when the problems remain – how big the fear is that Verstappen could then think of a change in the long term? “It is great. In the near future, improvements have to come that he has a competitive car again with which he can win and fight for the World Cup.”