Max Verstappen’s nightmare Bahrain Grand Prix was encapsulated by his increasingly frustrated team radio messages during the race, with the champion unleashing a furious tirade.
Red Bull looked off the pace all weekend, with Verstappen only managing the seventh fastest time in qualifying and was behind the Alpine of Pierre Gasly.
Verstappen’s pace dwindled even further in the race where he was unable to find any grip, particularly during his stint on the hard tyres which led to a series of furious team radio messages, where he complained: "Mate, ugh... just no tyre grip at all.”
He also bemoaned the temperature of his tyres where he said: “My front tyres are way too hot”, and later encountered problems with his brakes stating: “I can't even brake anymore, it's just ridiculous.”
Verstappen off the pace in Bahrain
It was not just the car that was a problem for Verstappen in Bahrain, with Red Bull fumbling both of their pit stops, his first taking 4.7 seconds and his second a staggering 6.2 seconds.
The first of Verstappen’s poor pit stops saw the champion explode with an X-rated reaction where he cried: "For f***s sake man!"
By lap 27 Verstappen was only in P9 and a pit stop behind race leader Oscar Piastri, whose victory did not look under threat at any stage of the race.
Verstappen eventually finished the race in P6, whilst his team-mate Yuki Tsunoda finished P9 and earned the best result for Red Bull’s second driver in 175 days.