Get all your news in one place.

100’s of premium titles.
One app.

Get all your news in one place.

100’s of premium titles. One news app.

Motorsport

Verstappen criticizes Red Bull’s slow pitstops at Bahrain GP

Bahrain Grand Prix Red Bull Max Verstappen Bahrain Bahrain GP Red Bull Racing

Max Verstappen had a race to forget in Bahrain after Red Bull suffered a spate of uncharacteristic errors.

The reigning world champion started P7 and only managed to make up one position by the time he crossed the checkered flag on Sunday night. “It was not to our standard,” he told reporters after the race.

The Dutchman lost a couple of seconds during his first pitstop when the light above the pitbox, which indicates when a driver can make a safe release, remained red for too long. His second stop was then marred by issues with his front-right tyre, resulting in a 6.2-second pitstop.

“Everything went wrong that could go wrong,” Verstappen lamented. “The pace was very bad… so I think the position where I finished was the best that I could have done.”

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing (Photo by: Rudy Carezzevoli / Motorsport Images)

He emphasized that the team’s “main problems” were balance and tyre management. “The brakes were a little bit better today because we were allowed to change the material, but the problem is not only the feeling in the brakes – which is still not where I want it to be – but also our tyres are overheating,” he explained. “So when I'm braking, there's no feeling because it's super easy to lock the fronts or rears at the same time.”

Verstappen said he felt “complicated” about the team’s performance, just one year after Red Bull took a 1-2 around the same circuit. “We are even worse on tyres this year. It makes it very complicated because last year we were not too bad around here,” he said, noting that Red Bull had “worse tyre management” than the other teams.

Despite the tricky weekend, the 27-year-old said he still had a positive mindset heading into the final leg of this triple-header.

“I don't need to reset, I’m OK. It is what it is. I always try to do the best I can, even in disappointing or frustrating situations, but we have to move on,” he said. “We have our problems, and even if you win a race that doesn't go away,” he continued, referencing last weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix. “So we just keep discussing and keep trying to improve.”

Photos from Bahrain GP - Race

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, Lando Norris, McLaren, Oscar Piastri, McLaren, George Russell, Mercedes

2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Sunday

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, Carlos Sainz, Williams, Gabriel Bortoleto, Sauber

2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Sunday

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari

2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Sunday

Lando Norris, McLaren

2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Sunday

George Russell, Mercedes

2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Sunday

Jack Doohan, Alpine, Mick Doohan

2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Sunday

Mohammed ben Sulayem, FIA President, Nikolas Tombazis, FIA Single Seater Director

2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Sunday

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Sunday

Esteban Ocon, Haas F1 Team, Oliver Bearman, Haas F1 Team

2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Sunday

Sir Jackie Stewart

2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Sunday

Isack Hadjar, Racing Bulls Team

2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Sunday

Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin Racing

2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Sunday

Jack Doohan, Alpine with his girlfriend Ebony Zippora

2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Sunday

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari

2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Sunday

Alexander Albon, Williams

2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Sunday

Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull Racing

2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Sunday

Esteban Ocon, Haas F1 Team

2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Sunday

Carlos Sainz, Williams

2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Sunday

Fans

2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Sunday

Sir Jackie Stewart

2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Sunday

Sir Jackie Stewart drives his Tyrrell 006

2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Sunday

Sir Jackie Stewart drives his Tyrrell 006

2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Sunday

Lando Norris, McLaren

2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Sunday

A helmet signed by all twenty living Formula 1 World Drivers Champions

2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Sunday

A helmet signed by all twenty living Formula 1 World Drivers Champions

2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Sunday

Peggy Gou

2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Sunday

Flavio Briatore, Executive Advisor of Alpine

2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Sunday

Oscar Piastri, McLaren

2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Sunday

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, Lando Norris, McLaren, Oscar Piastri, McLaren, George Russell, Mercedes, Pierre Gasly, Alpine, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Sunday

Race start

2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Sunday

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Lando Norris, McLaren, George Russell, Mercedes

2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Sunday

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Sunday

Race start

2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Sunday

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin Racing

2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Sunday

Oliver Bearman, Haas F1 Team, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Sunday

Oscar Piastri, McLaren

2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Sunday

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari

2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Sunday

Toto Wolff, Mercedes

2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Sunday

Nico Hulkenberg, Sauber

2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Sunday

Zak Brown, McLaren

2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Sunday

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, Lando Norris, McLaren

2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Sunday

Jack Doohan, Alpine, Oliver Bearman, Haas F1 Team, Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull Racing Team

2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Sunday

Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls Team, Lance Stroll, Aston Martin Racing, Isack Hadjar, Racing Bulls Team

2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Sunday

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, Carlos Sainz, Williams

2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Sunday

Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls, Oliver Bearman, Haas F1 Team, Isack Hadjar, Racing Bulls

2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Sunday

George Russell, Mercedes

2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Sunday

Nico Hulkenberg, Sauber, Gabriel Bortoleto, Sauber

2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Sunday

Lando Norris, McLaren

2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Sunday

Pierre Gasly, Alpine, Esteban Ocon, Haas F1 Team

2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Sunday

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Lando Norris, McLaren

2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Sunday

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari

2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Sunday

Isack Hadjar, Racing Bulls Team, Alexander Albon, Williams

2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Sunday

Lando Norris, McLaren, George Russell, Mercedes

2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Sunday

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Sunday

Oscar Piastri, McLaren

2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Sunday

Lando Norris, McLaren

2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Sunday

Oscar Piastri, McLaren

2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Sunday

Oscar Piastri, McLaren, Zak Brown, McLaren

2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Sunday

Oscar Piastri, McLaren

2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Sunday

Lando Norris, McLaren, Oscar Piastri, McLaren

2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Sunday

Oscar Piastri, McLaren

2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Sunday

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari

2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Sunday

George Russell, Mercedes, Toto Wolff, Mercedes

2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Sunday

Zak Brown, McLaren

2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Sunday

Oscar Piastri, McLaren

2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Sunday

Oscar Piastri, McLaren

2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Sunday

George Russell, Mercedes

2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Sunday

Lando Norris, McLaren

2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Sunday

Lando Norris, McLaren

2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Sunday

Lando Norris, McLaren, Oscar Piastri, McLaren, George Russell, Mercedes, Andrea Stella, McLaren

2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Sunday

Andrea Stella, McLaren

2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Sunday

Lando Norris, McLaren, Oscar Piastri, McLaren

2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Sunday

Formula 1

72

In this article

Emily Selleck

Formula 1

Max Verstappen

Red Bull Racing

Be the first to know and subscribe for real-time news email updates on these topics

Sign up to read this article

Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.

Already a member? Sign in here

Top stories on inkl right now

Measles cases spread to three more states

Measles cases spread to three more states

Louisiana, Virginia and Missouri each confirmed their first cases over the weekend, with at least 27 states now reporting the disease

The Independent UK

Justice Alito slams Supreme Court for blocking Trump’s deportation of Venezuelans

Justice Alito slams Supreme Court for blocking Trump’s deportation of Venezuelans

Trump administration has accused the group of being gang members and wants to deport them under Alien Enemies Act

The Independent UK

Sarah Palin’s defamation suit retrial against the New York Times raises first amendment concerns

Sarah Palin’s defamation suit retrial against the New York Times raises first amendment concerns

She lost the first trial in 2022, but she gets ‘second bite of the apple’ due to a judge’s procedural errors

The Guardian - US

JD Vance granted lightning audience with Pope Francis in Vatican

JD Vance granted lightning audience with Pope Francis in Vatican

US vice-president spends few minutes with pontiff whom he has publicly disagreed with over migration

The Guardian - UK

One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites

Already a member? Sign in here

Six killed as huge waves crash onto Australia’s east coast

Six killed as huge waves crash onto Australia’s east coast

Some parts of NSW could experience strong winds through Monday

The Independent UK

Ukrainians Voice Scepticism On Easter Truce

Ukrainians Voice Scepticism On Easter Truce

As bells rang out for Easter Sunday in Kyiv, local people told AFP they did not believe Moscow would keep its word by observing a truce announced by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

International Business Times

Related Stories

Top stories on inkl right now

Measles cases spread to three more states

Measles cases spread to three more states

Louisiana, Virginia and Missouri each confirmed their first cases over the weekend, with at least 27 states now reporting the disease

The Independent UK

Justice Alito slams Supreme Court for blocking Trump’s deportation of Venezuelans

Justice Alito slams Supreme Court for blocking Trump’s deportation of Venezuelans

Trump administration has accused the group of being gang members and wants to deport them under Alien Enemies Act

The Independent UK

Sarah Palin’s defamation suit retrial against the New York Times raises first amendment concerns

Sarah Palin’s defamation suit retrial against the New York Times raises first amendment concerns

She lost the first trial in 2022, but she gets ‘second bite of the apple’ due to a judge’s procedural errors

The Guardian - US

JD Vance granted lightning audience with Pope Francis in Vatican

JD Vance granted lightning audience with Pope Francis in Vatican

US vice-president spends few minutes with pontiff whom he has publicly disagreed with over migration

The Guardian - UK

One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites

Already a member? Sign in here

Six killed as huge waves crash onto Australia’s east coast

Six killed as huge waves crash onto Australia’s east coast

Some parts of NSW could experience strong winds through Monday

The Independent UK

Ukrainians Voice Scepticism On Easter Truce

Ukrainians Voice Scepticism On Easter Truce

As bells rang out for Easter Sunday in Kyiv, local people told AFP they did not believe Moscow would keep its word by observing a truce announced by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

International Business Times

Our Picks

Why is WrestleMania 41 NOT John Cena's final WWE show after retirement announcement?

John Cena will retire from in-ring competition at the end of the year

Evening Standard

Why is yawning contagious?

Scientists have identified some reasons why yawns spread from person to person.

Reagan Is Back in Style but Not in Spirit

President Donald Trump once again rolled out the egg-colored Reagan rug for his second term, but the Trump-Reagan similarities are running thin.

Gen Z has a different attitude about dining from baby boomers and millennials—and it shows in smaller tickets at chain restaurants

The younger generation opts to share entrées or order appetizers or kid’s meals to save money.

Duchess of Sussex accused of copying British author in scrapped Netflix show

The feminist animated series ‘Pearl’ was announced by the Duchess in 2021

Evening Standard

Asda urgently recall Easter product that could have life-threatening allergens

Urgent health risk posed by product that may have been labelled incorrectly

The Independent UK

Fourteen days free

Download the app

One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.

Download on the AppStore

Get it on Google Play