The action-packed season-opener at the Bahrain circuit concluded with Max Verstappen finishing second to Lewis Hamilton. The Dutch also clarified his reasons for returning the position back to the Mercedes driver after Turn 10.
Verstappen dominated in the early laps in the race but later lost the lead to the seven-time world champion. However, Max again went ahead of the Brit at Turn 4 but gave back the position because of going off the track.
But many asked why let Hamilton pass at Turn 10, and not when he could have the advantage over Lewis. To which the Dutch replied it would have been unfair towards the Mercedes no.44.
Red Bull’s Dutch driver Max Verstappen lifts his second-place trophy on the podium after the Bahrain Formula One Grand Prix at the Bahrain International Circuit in the city of Sakhir on March 28, 2021.
Verstappen reported after finishing the race, “If I would have let him by later, then it’s an unfair way of giving the position back,
“Because then you’re so close and it’s an easy DRS pass, so I had to do it after Turn 10.”
What happened between Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton?
Red Bull prodigy outshone the Silver Arrow ace in the prior meetings at Shakir during the pre-season testing and qualifiers, Verstappen even got the pole position in the Bahrain Grand Prix. Max was leading the race in the early laps of the race, soon his Mercedes rival took the lead.
Lewis Hamilton was not letting Max Verstappen take the lead.
With 20 more laps left, Verstappen was giving a neck-to-neck fight to Lewis, and at the 54th lap, he finally took the lap from Hamilton. But the Dutch over-steered his RB16B and went out of the track to take the lead, thus he had to let Hamilton pass away.
Verstappen had an advantage of younger tyres than Hamilton but claimed that was of no use after his stunt at the 54th lap. But Max could have returned the position when he had the DRS advantage to win, but the Red Bull no.33 claimed it was unethical for him to win a race in such a manner. Therefore, the Dutch prodigy chose righteousness over victory.
With four laps to go, Max takes almost certain victory from Lewis
And then hands it back to him moments later #BahrainGP 🇧🇭 #F1 @LewisHamilton @Max33Verstappen pic.twitter.com/PJoXhaCjHd
— Formula 1 (@F1) March 28, 2021
The Dutch added it was disappointing to lose, although learned a lot from the race and will give his best to win the next race. He is being positive about the loss and added the car had some issues, which the team will look into prior to the race in Imola, Italy.
Even Max’s new Mexican teammate Sergio Perez also ran into some trouble with the car after the formation lap, which forced him to start the race from the pit lane. Checo was at the end on the track but made his way through to finish at P5. Thus, the Mexican veteran was the Driver of the Day.
From a pit lane start to a P5 finish
It was an eventful Red Bull debut for @SChecoPerez
And you voted him Driver of the Day in Bahrain! 🏆#BahrainGP 🇧🇭 #F1 pic.twitter.com/cu1PVZ7Jhq
— Formula 1 (@F1) March 28, 2021
All Formula 1 fans and pundits believe that Verstappen and the Milton Keynes-based team have the potential to dethrone the defending champions- Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes. Even the seven-time world champion agreed to have a hard time against the Dutch prodigy in Bahrain. We will again witness the two drivers fighting to win the second race of the season at the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari on Sunday, April 18.
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