Despite dominating Bahrain’s Formula 1 championship season opener, Max Verstappen remains cautious about the upcoming Saudi Arabia Grand Prix in Jeddah. The Red Bull driver believes the race will pose a significant challenge and is unlikely to be an easy victory for him and his team.
However, taking Verstappen’s cautionary words with a grain of salt is essential. Despite his dominant performance in Bahrain, where he secured a Red Bull one-two finish with teammate Sergio Perez and left Fernando Alonso in the Aston Martin nearly 40 seconds behind, it doesn’t necessarily mean he’ll ease up in Jeddah.
It’s a common tactic among F1 teams and drivers to downplay their chances even when they’re unbeatable. Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton, for example, employed this strategy during their recent dominant spell from 2014 to 2020, claiming their races were tough when they were lapping their competitors.
MAX VERSTAPPEN WINS THE OPENING RACE OF THE 2023 SEASON!!! 🙌#BahrainGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/Nw4WKNaYh6
— Formula 1 (@F1) March 5, 2023
Speaking ahead of the upcoming race in Saudi Arabia, Max Verstappen shared his thoughts on the challenge that lies ahead. Despite his impressive start in Bahrain, the Red Bull driver remains aware that the Jeddah circuit presents a completely different set of obstacles requiring the car to be quick. Verstappen acknowledged that the task ahead wouldn’t be easy, indicating that he’s mentally prepared for the tough competition that awaits.
He said: “After a great start in Bahrain, I don’t expect it to be easy in Jeddah; it is an entirely different circuit and needs the car to be quick. Nevertheless, we can have a strong car around this track with high-speed corners. The track changes made are mainly for visibility, so hopefully, it has improved things a bit for us drivers, as it was dangerous in some areas.”
“It’s a cool street circuit, with quite a lot of grip, so I always enjoy going back there to race,” the double F1 Champion added.
#OnThisDay 8 years ago…
— Max Verstappen News (@MV_Updates) March 15, 2023
A 17-year-old by the name of Max Verstappen made his Toro Rosso debut for the 2015 #F1 season
Simultaneously breaking the record for the youngest F1 driver to ever compete in a Grand-Prix
It was the start of something legendary pic.twitter.com/AZsGMDVtPX
Perez is looking to keep the momentum from Bahrain GP
Sergio Perez, the Red Bull driver, is determined to maintain the momentum he gained from his successful performance in Bahrain. With his sights set on the upcoming race in Saudi Arabia, Perez is eager to continue his strong form and secure another impressive result for his team.
Sergio Perez started his third season with Red Bull on a positive note, finishing second behind teammate Max Verstappen in Bahrain. While acknowledging their strong start, Perez and Verstappen remain aware of the challenges at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit in Saudi Arabia.
Also Read: Formula 1 Racing: Lap Counts and Race Lengths Explained
Great job the whole week by @redbullracing in Bahrain. We managed to complete the entire preseason program with no major issues.
— Sergio Pérez (@SChecoPerez) February 25, 2023
We are ready and looking forward to the star of the season đź’Ş pic.twitter.com/wngM2kQdgK
The high-speed nature of the track presents a different set of obstacles that will require the team to make improvements to their car. Nonetheless, Perez is confident and determined to keep the momentum going from Bahrain, emphasizing that they have gathered valuable information and worked hard behind the scenes to improve their performance.
