Max Verstappen shines in Bahrain, leading the first day of F1 testing with confidence and the most laps driven.
The Dutchman reports that everything went well today during his first miles on the Bahrain International Circuit. And there were quite a few: with 143 laps, he drove more than anyone else, by himself. However, Haas F1 managed a few more laps in total with Magnussen and Hulkenberg.
Verstappen was notably dominant on the timesheet for almost the entire day.
“It’s nice to be back. I also think we had a good day. We were able to do a lot of laps, and with the car, we tried quite a few things, so I’m very happy overall,” Verstappen shared.
“Overall, I’m happy to be back in a Formula 1 car. The first laps, you’re surprised by its speed compared to everyone else. And yes, I really enjoyed today with the RB20. I was very pleased with how the car responded; the balance was very good. It’s only a test, but we had a good day.”
He downplays his best time by a good second ahead of the others.
“We were able to complete laps without any issues, and you know, I like to see how fast a car can go. Maybe the others were more cautious. I doubt we are a second ahead of everyone else!”
When asked if Red Bull was in good shape to win the first race, he answered: “normally, we should be able to do it!”
“Of course, that’s not how it works in Formula 1. You know, I don’t even think about it. I want to do my tests, and if the car is fast, it’s fast. And if the car is the fastest, then it’s the fastest, and then we will win the race.”
“But, absolutely, everyone is very motivated, everyone is also, I think, happy with what we did this winter. Of course, time will tell if it’s enough compared to the other teams.”
Is it time to set goals already?
“Of course, I’m always strict with myself and demand the best. But I never set real goals before starting the season because I don’t know how our F1 will compare to the others.”
“Of course, if it’s fast enough, the most important thing will be to race for the title, and it doesn’t matter if you win all the races, or just enough races to become champion.”
Verstappen Bahrain Test Dominance. Verstappen Bahrain Test Dominance
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