Max Verstappen was left disillusioned with Pink Bull’s pit cease efficiency throughout the Bahrain GP, including to an already tough weekend stricken by automobile points. Chatting with the media, together with Sportskeeda, after the race, the four-time world champion admitted that the gradual stops solely compounded his struggles on the monitor.
Each Verstappen and teammate Yuki Tsunoda had two pit stops throughout the race. The primary spherical of stops for every driver lasted round 4 seconds, whereas Verstappen’s second cease stretched to 6 seconds—removed from Pink Bull’s normal benchmark.
The Dutchman expressed confusion over the operational setbacks, stating that pit stops are sometimes one of many crew’s strongest areas. He acknowledged that the unusually gradual stops have been out of character and added to the crew’s woes on a day when automobile efficiency was already missing. It was later revealed that {an electrical} problem had triggered the delays within the pit lane.
Requested by Sportskeeda if the gradual pitstops from the crew have been disappointing, Max Verstappen stated:
“Effectively yeah not good in fact when you’re ready for thus lengthy and two separate issues. So to not our requirements.”
Requested by Sportskeeda if the Pink Bull driver anticipated the race going fallacious at an operational degree, he replied,
“No, I imply, no, in fact, usually our pit stops are good. I do not know what occurred at this time.”
Max Verstappen reckoned tire administration and stability points are key to the tempo points on the RB21
Max Verstappen admitted that certainly one of his fundamental considerations following the 2025 Bahrain GP was the dearth of tempo, largely stemming from ongoing tire administration and stability points. The reigning world champion famous that tire efficiency has been harder to deal with this season in comparison with 2024.
Final yr, Verstappen dominated the season opener in Bahrain, securing a commanding victory in cooler monitor situations. Nevertheless, this time round, the considerably hotter temperatures, mixed with the circuit’s abrasive floor, uncovered a number of weaknesses within the RB21. The Dutchman struggled to extract efficiency all through the weekend, qualifying solely seventh and ending sixth within the race.
Verstappen identified that the automobile’s stability, significantly on the rear, made tire degradation worse than anticipated, limiting his capacity to push and overtake. The consequence starkly contrasts his earlier dominance on the venue, elevating considerations over Pink Bull’s adaptability to various situations within the present season.
Requested if the operational points involved him extra or the efficiency, Max Verstappen stated:
“Yeah, the massive issues are the tempo that we’ve got, principally tire administration and stability. Yeah, these are my fundamental issues.”
Requested in regards to the disconnect within the nook stability, he added,
“Yeah, I imply, yeah, however I simply really feel like we’re even worse on tyres in some way this not too dangerous round right here in fact then individuals made enchancment. However I really feel like we really had a worse weekend than final yr or no matter.”
Max Verstappen has slipped to 3rd within the Drivers’ Championship following a tough outing on the Bahrain Grand Prix. The Dutchman, who was only one level behind Lando Norris after his win in Japan, now trails the Briton by eight factors and sits 5 factors behind Oscar Piastri, who at present holds second place within the standings. Whereas Piastri has already secured two victories this season, Norris and Verstappen have every taken one win from the opening 4 rounds.
Within the Constructors’ Championship, Pink Bull’s scenario is equally regarding. The Milton Keynes outfit now finds itself 80 factors adrift of leaders McLaren and 21 factors behind Mercedes, who’ve climbed to second within the standings. With rivals pulling forward, Pink Bull faces a race towards time to establish and resolve the problems plaguing the RB21—significantly these associated to tire administration and rear-end stability—if they’re to mount a severe title problem this season.
