A bitter qualifying for Verstappen, ending in seventh place. However, the Dutchman sent a clear message for the title race.
So far, Bahrain has not been kind to Max Verstappen. After his flawless weekend in Suzuka, the Dutch driver took a significant step back, struggling throughout the practice sessions and finishing qualifying in a disappointing seventh place. In post-qualifying interviews, the four-time world champion sent a clear message, distancing himself from the title fight.
Verstappen’s words after qualifying
In the words reported by GPblog, there is a certain pessimism from Verstappen. Commenting on the words of Helmut Marko, who on Friday had highlighted a positive aspect of his race pace, the Dutchman responded curtly: ” I disagree. I think, in general, we’re weak both on the single lap and in the race compared to McLaren. With Ferrari and Mercedes, maybe we had a bit more of a chance yesterday (referring to FP3), but yesterday wasn’t a pleasant day either
Speaking about the competition, the Dutchman doesn’t seem to realistically consider the possibility of fighting for the championship, nor engaging in a direct duel with McLaren: “They are not my competitors at the moment. I’m just participating in the championship.” When asked if he doesn’t consider himself in the fight for the championship, Verstappen replied categorically: “No.”
Photo: Oracle Red Bull Racing