Max Verstappen endured a frustrating Bahrain Grand Prix, finishing in sixth after a series of issues derailed his race weekend. Despite starting from seventh on the grid following a tough qualifying session, the Red Bull ace faced multiple challenges on Sunday that compounded his struggles.
The first sign of trouble came during Verstappen's initial pit stop, where a malfunction in Red Bull’s light system meant the release light stayed red. The glitch forced Verstappen to wait longer in the box, dropping him into traffic.
Adding to his woes, his second pit stop was delayed due to problems removing the front-right tyre, pushing him to the back of the pack.
"Basically everything went wrong!" Verstappen said post-race. "We had a poor start, too much wheelspin when I dropped the clutch, and then the first stint again [I had] basically the same problems that I had in Qualifying."
Brake and Tyre Struggles Add to the Frustration
The Dutchman also reported difficulties with his brakes and tyre performance. Red Bull’s overheating issues became apparent during the first stint, as Verstappen struggled to keep up with the competition.
He explained, "We were just overheating our tyres too much compared to the competition ahead of us... the hard tyres unfortunately didn’t work so I was sliding around even more than I was on the soft."
Despite the chaos, Verstappen managed to fight back and secure sixth, overtaking Pierre Gasly in the latter stages of the 57-lap race.
“Considering Everything, P6 Is Alright”
While P6 was far from ideal, Verstappen acknowledged it was the best possible result given the circumstances.
"Then we boxed again, [which was an] even worse pit stop, so then I was last. And, yeah, considering everything, to be honest to finish P6 is then alright," he admitted. "More than that was anyway not possible even with good pit stops or other tyres selected, realistically."
Red Bull's Car Struggles Under the Spotlight
Verstappen also shed light on the broader issues with the Red Bull package, noting that their car’s handling and tyre behaviour were underwhelming on the Bahrain circuit.
"It’s of course not what we want, but it’s just where we are at with our car and the tyre behaviour that we have with the car," he explained. "Everything is just highlighted even more on a track like this."
A “Tough” Time for the Reigning World Champion
When asked about the toll the situation is taking, Verstappen didn't shy away from expressing his concern over Red Bull’s current competitiveness.
"Yeah, it’s just tough," he said. "You have to hang on, try to improve the situation, but it was just a bit stuck at the moment and hopefully we can improve soon."
Bahrain Grand Prix 2025
Pos. Driver
1 Oscar Piastri McLaren
2 George Russell Mercedes
3 Lando Norris McLaren
4 Charles Leclerc Ferrari
5 Lewis Hamilton Ferrari
6 Max Verstappen Red Bull
7 Pierre Gasly Alpine
8 Esteban Ocon Haas
9 Yuki Tsunoda Red Bull
10 Oliver Bearman Haas
11 Andrea Kimi Antonelli Mercedes
12 Alexander Albon Williams
13 Nico Hulkenberg Sauber
14 Isack Hadjar Racing Bulls
15 Jack Doohan Alpine
16 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin
17 Liam Lawson Racing Bulls
18 Lance Stroll Aston Martin
19 Gabriel Bortoleto Sauber
20 Carlos Sainz Jnr Williams
Updated 2025 Formula 1 Standings After Bahrain
Drivers' Championship Standings
| Position | Driver | Team | Points |
|-||--|--|
| 1 | Lando Norris (GBR) | McLaren F1 Team | 77 |
| 2 | Oscar Piastri (AUS) | McLaren F1 Team | 74 |
| 3 | Max Verstappen (NLD) | Red Bull Racing | 69 |
| 4 | George Russell (GBR) | Mercedes AMG F1 | 63 |
| 5 | Charles Leclerc (MCO) | Scuderia Ferrari | 32 |
| 6 | Kimi Antonelli (ITA) | Mercedes AMG F1 | 30 |
| 7 | Lewis Hamilton (GBR) | Scuderia Ferrari | 25 |
| 8 | Alexander Albon (THA) | Williams Racing | 18 |
| 9 | Esteban Ocon (FRA) | Haas F1 | 14 |
| 10 | Lance Stroll (CAN) | Aston Martin F1 Team | 10 |
| 11 | Pierre Gasly (FRA) | Alpine F1 | 6 |
| 12 | Nico Hulkenberg (DEU) | Stake F1 Team | 6 |
| 13 | Oliver Bearman (GBR) | Haas F1 | 6 |
| 14 | Yuki Tsunoda (JPN) | Red Bull Racing | 5 |
| 15 | Isack Hadjar (FRA) | Racing Bulls | 4 |
| 16 | Carlos Sainz (ESP) | Williams Racing | 1 |
| 17 | Fernando Alonso (ESP) | Aston Martin F1 Team | 0 |
| 18 | Liam Lawson (NZL) | Racing Bulls | 0 |
| 19 | Jack Doohan (AUS) | Alpine F1 | 0 |
| 20 | Gabriel Bortoleto (BRA)| Stake F1 Team | 0 |