Max Verstappen Dominance Raises Questions about Red Bull F1 Season Prospects

Max Verstappen delivered a commanding performance in the season-opening race securing victory with a 22.4 seconds lead over teammate Sergio Perez and 25.1 seconds ahead of Carlos Sainz from Ferrari. Red Bull significant race-pace advantage surprised competitors who anticipated a more competitive field this season.

However, Red Bull team principal Christian Horner believes Bahrain didn’t provide a clear picture due to their different tire strategy using a soft tire for the final stint. He suggests this exaggerated the gaps especially in cooler conditions.

Despite Horner opinion that the competition is closer, Mercedes boss Toto Wolff sees Verstappen performance as extraordinary and believes Red Bull might dominate the season. Horner disagrees expressing confidence that the field will tighten throughout the year.