Oracle Red Bull Racing Team Principal Christian Horner says his team made a ‘great start’ to the 2023 FIA Formula 1 World Championship as Max Verstappen and Sergio Pérez led the team home for a dominant one-two finish at the Bahrain Grand Prix.
Verstappen would avoid the skirmish between Pérez and the two Scuderia Ferrari’s on the opening lap, allowing him to race off into the distance while Pérez would drop back to third as Charles Leclerc took advantage of his new set of soft tyres.
Pérez would eventually make it past the Monegasque driver on lap twenty-six, by which time Verstappen had already grown a substantial thirteen-second lead out in front.
The only credible threat to Verstappen’s routine win was when downshifts caused rear locking on his RB19, an issue that the team would comfortably see out to the chequered flag as Verstappen comfortably claimed his maiden win at the Bahrain International Circuit.
Perez would close out the dominant display for Red Bull, crossing the line eleven seconds later to round out the one-two finish and secure a forty-three-point haul for the Milton-Keynes-based-team.
Horner was quick to praise both drivers shortly after the race, claiming the level that both Verstappen and Perez displayed across the weekend helped push the team forward for victory.
“What a race! Max certainly showed he has not lost any of his pace coming into the new season, grabbing pole and the victory with both hands. Checo had a bit of work to do with Charles, but he played it well and then from there it was about managing the race till the end.
“The pace was there, the reliability too, we also had a solid pit stop strategy. It’s great to have both the guys up there within a tenth, fighting over the fine margins. That pushes the Team forward and they certainly delivered.“
While some members of the paddock are already conceding that Red Bull look set to dominate the landscape of the 2023 season, Horner was keen to stress just how early it is in the season. The Red Bull Team Principal is all too aware of how quickly momentum can shift in Formula 1 after a year ago he saw his team leave Sakhir with zero points to their name after a double DNF.
“Comparing it to last year, when we finished with no points, is quite a contrast. However, its important to remember this is just race one, there’s a lot of racing still to do, but it is a great start, from the whole team. It was important for us to get on the board, get some good points in early and we have done that today. We look forward to see what Jeddah brings.”
