Max Verstappen, the driver who secured the top starting position at the Bahrain Grand Prix, believes that paying close attention to every detail was crucial in achieving pole position. He is confident that this attention to detail will continue to be the differentiating factor during the Grand Prix on Saturday.
Verstappen’s impressive lap time of 1:29.179s put him 0.228s ahead of Charles Leclerc from Ferrari, who will be joining Verstappen on the front row. Despite Verstappen’s dominant performance in 2023, where he won 19 races and secured 13 pole positions, the competitive nature of the field after the winter break meant that his pole position was not guaranteed.
Verstappen commented on the challenging qualifying session, stating that the windy conditions throughout the weekend made it difficult to put together a perfect lap. However, he acknowledged that finding just a fraction of a second in a corner could make a significant difference. The close gaps between drivers throughout the entire qualifying session added an exciting element of uncertainty.
Although Verstappen had a comfortable lead of two-tenths of a second over Leclerc, the top nine drivers were separated by just over half a second. Verstappen acknowledged that the field seemed closer compared to the previous year, but he expressed confidence in his team’s race car. He emphasized that attention to detail would be crucial in determining the outcome of the race, as evidenced by the small gaps in the long runs during practice sessions.
Earlier in the weekend, Verstappen had expressed dissatisfaction with the setup of his RB20 car and had concerns about the smoothness of the gearbox. However, he clarified that these issues were not the main balance problems of the car. Instead, the focus was on finding the right balance between the front and rear axles to enhance comfort and performance. Verstappen emphasized the importance of small improvements and avoiding any mistakes, as even a minor slide or lock-up could result in significant time loss on a demanding track like Bahrain.