Verstappen wins with 22.5 seconds in hand at Bahrain GP
2nd March 2024Red Bull’s Max Verstappen has started his title defence in the best way, with his 55th career victory at the Bahrain Grand Prix and 22.5 seconds in hand over his closest rival.
Verstappen, who failed to set the fastest lap in any practice session this weekend, started the race on pole alongside Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc who started second.
From the opening corner, after a tight defence with Leclerc, Verstappen stormed out in front of the field and cruised his way – with ease – to his 55th career race win.
At the end of the race, and a fairly quiet one of that, Verstappen took the chequered flag with the fastest lap in tow to give him the perfect start to hunt for his fourth consecutive world title.
Red Bull teammate, Sergio Perez completed the race in second – 22.5 seconds behind Verstappen – to give the team the best start to defend their constructors title.
Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz completed the podium, in third, as the Spaniard put in a terrific fight against his teammate, Leclerc. As the Spaniard is out of a seat for 2025, following Lewis Hamilton’s announcement to move to Ferrari next season, it will put him front-and-centre in the shop window.
After completing a two-stop strategy, it meant the triple world champion secured his fifth grand slam (pole, win, fastest lap and leading from start to finish).
The updated Grand Slam total ties the Dutchman with F1 legends such as Michael Schumacher and Alberto Ascari.
In addition, the pole position, fastest lap and win secured by Verstappen will provide the Dutch world champion with his 12th career hat-trick, just behind Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton and Schumacher.
That’s all for the article; Verstappen wins with 22.5 seconds in hand at Bahrain GP!
Read more Formula 1 here:
- Report: Verstappen secures 33rd career pole ahead of Bahrain GP
- Sainz fastest in FP3 as F1 heads to qualifying for the Bahrain GP
- Bottas given reprimand for Bahrain pit lane infringement
- Mercedes surprise as Hamilton tops FP2 of 2024 Bahrain GP
- Ricciardo fastest in Bahrain GP FP1 as 2024 F1 season gets underway
- 2024 F1 Bahrain Grand Prix: Preview
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Hi, I’m Kamron. I created ApexMotorsports.co.uk in the dying embers of the 2021 Formula 1 world championship. It allowed me freedom to write whatever I wanted to write about which was all things motorsports, my passion.
I have put a lot of effort in over the years to keep this website in its best shape and I’ve loved seeing the brand grow consistently, month-on-month, year-on-year. My ambition is to keep watching this brand grow into a primary outlet of news for all things motorsports whilst fueling my desire to pursue a career in sports journalism, specialising in motorsports.
Kamron Kent
Hi, I'm Kamron. I created ApexMotorsports.co.uk in the dying embers of the 2021 Formula 1 world championship. It allowed me freedom to write whatever I wanted to write about which was all things motorsports, my passion. I have put a lot of effort in over the years to keep this website in its best shape and I've loved seeing the brand grow consistently, month-on-month, year-on-year. My ambition is to keep watching this brand grow into a primary outlet of news for all things motorsports whilst fueling my desire to pursue a career in sports journalism, specialising in motorsports.
