There is nothing to give Red Bull and Max Verstappen. Not even the spicy weeks that its members had to live since the scandal broke out with their team leader. Christian Horner, they affect you when the red lights go out. He showed it in Bahrain, first stop of the season, and this Saturday at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix: Mad Max won solidly and comfortably escorted by the Mexican Sergio Checo Pérezand they all ended up hugging in the celebration, as if nothing had happened.
Verstappen and Horner merged, laughing, to try to banish the rumors of a fight that began when those around the Red Bull team boss considered that the father of the three-time world champion had been responsible for leaking the information about the complaint by harassment, later dismissed in an internal investigation by the Austrian team.
Max Verstappen on the podium of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. Photo: Giuseppe CACACE / AFP
On Friday it was learned that Helmut Marko was under investigation by the Red Bull company for alleged leaks to the press about the investigation carried out on Horner, and the team’s own sports advisor acknowledged that he may not be able to go to the next race in Australia. .
This motivated great support from Verstappen, who declared that His future at Red Bull depended on Marko’s continuity within the organizationwhich marked a clear contrast with his words about the Horner case.
Inside the track, none of that is seen. Was the 100th podium of Mad Max in his career, the 56th victory and his consecutive novena. Unstoppable.
“That early stop for the safety car forced us to manage the pace. Here you don’t want to go to the limit, I tried to be more consistent. Stretch the difference when I needed it and not take too many risks,” analyzed Verstappen, who logically leads the World Championship. of pilots.
“We have made progress, but it was a shame not to have been on the front row of the grid in qualifying. This track is very different from Bahrain – where the Red Bulls had achieved the same result – but we are still strong,” he commented. Czech, born 34 years ago in Guadalajara (Jalisco).
The third place on the podium went to the Monegasque Ferrari driver Charles Leclercwho had shared the first starting line with Verstappen, and who arrived more than 20 seconds behind the winner of the day, although he was able to score the fastest lap point at the end.
Charles Leclerc and Oliver Bearman, the drivers of the weekend for Ferrari. Photo: JOSEPH EID / AFP
The Spanish Fernando Alonso He was fifth, two places ahead of the young British Ferrari driver Oliver Bearmanwho more than fulfilled in his first GP in F1 the emergency replacement of the Spanish Carlos Sainz Jr, convalescing from an appendicitis operation.
Bearman, who started from eleventh position, became the the third youngest driver in history to participate in a Formula 1 Grand Prix.
“It was a fantastic weekend. I tried to focus on the work and get the points for the team. The coaching people helped me a lot, they did a great job with me. He told me lap by lap in the sector where I could improve,” said the regular Formula 2 driver.
“He did an incredible job, to be seventh in your first race in F1 is very impressive”Leclerc pondered.
Towards the end of the race, he withstood the comeback of Lando Norris and Lewis Hamilton to cross the finish line ahead of the experienced drivers. The public recognized him in the ‘driver of the day’ election, in which he obtained 48.3% of the votes, ahead of Hamilton (7.3%) and Kevin Magnussen (6.7%).
The Australian Oscar Piastrifrom McLaren, finished in fourth position, ahead of Alonso’s Aston Martin.
George Russell (Mercedes), Bearman, Lando Norris (McLaren), Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) and the surprising Haas of Nico Hulkenberg They completed the top-10.
The next test, the Australian Grand Prix, will be held in two weekends at the Albert Park semi-urban circuit in Melbourne.
2024-03-09 19:58:06
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