Max Verstappen is expected to repeat his dominant performance from the 2023 season as he tops the first testing session in Bahrain. The Dutch driver’s campaign in 2023 was one of the most dominant in the history of the sport. Looking ahead to the 2024 season, Verstappen’s performance in the season-opener is the subject of bold claims.
Verstappen emerged victorious in 19 races during the 2023 season, setting multiple records along the way. However, there were some races where he had a comfortable victory. One notable example was the Austrian GP, where Verstappen made a last-lap pitstop with a 22-second lead over the runner-up just to secure the fastest lap of the race. Alex Albon, a former teammate of Verstappen, believes that a similar daring move is in the works for the 29-year-old.
According to Albon, Verstappen is expected to have a massive 25-second lead in the opening race in Bahrain. After establishing this lead, Verstappen will pit and go for the fastest lap, potentially breaking the world record for lap time. The second testing session saw Verstappen absent from the cockpit due to some issues. However, he drove for the entirety of the first testing session, completing a total of 142 laps and leading the session. Verstappen expressed his satisfaction with the development of the RB20 challenger for the 2024 season, labeling it as “Very Very Impressive.”
With a lead of 1.140 seconds over the runner-up, Verstappen is expected to be in top form for the first race of the 2024 season. However, it remains to be seen how other teams have developed to resist Red Bull’s dominant performance from 2023. Rival teams will surely provide tough competition for Red Bull in the upcoming season, and multiple drivers will be pushing themselves to the limit in their final season with their respective teams. Nevertheless, Verstappen is expected to stand out and showcase his racing skills solely through his performance in 2024.
According to the Source firstsportz.com