Max Verstappen emerged as the winner of Friday’s Q3 session in qualifying for the Bahrain Grand Prix, despite not leading in any of the previous practice sessions. Securing pole position, Verstappen playfully apologized to his race engineer Gianpiero ‘GP’ Lambiase, as his victory came at the expense of 50 Euros. Clocking an impressive time of 1:29.179, the reigning World Champion outpaced Charles Leclerc by 0.228 seconds and expressed his remorse over the radio, saying, “I’m so sorry, GP! Haha!” Christian Horner, the team principal, reassured Verstappen, acknowledging his accomplishment by stating, “Nothing to be sorry about Max, it was a good start. Two-tenths clear of Charles and three-tenths clear of George.”
However, Verstappen’s triumph had a humorous twist as he inadvertently cost GP 50 euros. This was the result of a bet between the race engineer and Red Bull motorsport advisor Helmut Marko, who had bet against Verstappen securing pole position. Marko revealed the terms of their agreement and mentioned that he would split his winnings with the star driver, recognizing Verstappen’s impressive negotiation skills. Marko attributed Verstappen’s pole position to the “Max factor,” particularly highlighting the improvements made after handling and shift issues during practice. He expressed optimism for the race, anticipating tough competition from teams like Ferrari and Mercedes, as well as a strong performance from Fernando Alonso, with Sergio Perez starting in fifth position.
Reflecting on a previous betting mishap during the Abu Dhabi 2023 finale, Marko admitted underestimating Verstappen’s potential, resulting in a loss of 500 euros to Horner. He commended the team’s resilience in overcoming practice setbacks and emphasized Verstappen’s exceptional performance. Verstappen’s pole position in Bahrain not only marked a significant achievement but also provided a light-hearted moment in the intense world of Formula 1 competition, showcasing the camaraderie and competitive spirit within the Red Bull Racing team.