Horner sees Verstappen proved wrong: 'Fortunately it was'

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christian horner reaction after qualifying bahrain 2024
1 March at 17:31
  • GPblog.com

Red Bull Racing - looking purely at the timesheets from FP1 and FP2 - did not have the best opening day in Bahrain, but 24 hours later Max Verstappen is back in pole position. Christian Horner can, therefore, be nothing but satisfied. After all, the preparation - with all the controversy surrounding himself - was not optimal either.

Pole for Verstappen

"It was a great lap at the end there from Max, and the circuit was getting cooler, so it was getting a little trickier," Horner said in a conversation with Viaplay. When Verstappen heard he had got P1, he laughed over the team radio. There was a reason for that. "He didn't think it was enough, but thankfully it was. Very, very tight behind, so it should be a good race tomorrow."

Whether Red Bull was worried after Thursday's second free practice? "I've always been saying that it's going to concertina, the regulations are stable, the cars are going to converge. And that's what we've got here this weekend," said the Austrian racing stable's team boss.

Sergio Perez starts fifth; the difference with Verstappen was about three-tenths. Horner sees chances for the Mexican veteran: "There's a tenth and a half between third and seventh. So I think Checo, he's in good company. I think we can have a good race," he concluded.