AIN’T NO STAPPEN HIM
Max roars to pole in desert
MAX VERSTAPPEN laid down a marker after beating Lewis Hamilton to pole position for the opening race of the season in Bahrain.
For the first time in his career, Verstappen topped the timing sheets in every practice session – before snatching the top spot by a whopping 0.388s ahead of both of the Mercedes with 1:28.997.
Three purple sectors on his final lap sent a clear warning to Mercedes that he’s a force to be reckoned with this season, with Hamilton starting in P2 ahead of Valtteri Bottas.
Hamilton admitted he gave all he had throughout the session, but it just wasn’t enough to beat the flying Dutchman.
He said: “Congratulations to Max, he did such a great job. So fast on that last lap. Absolutely gave it everything I have, but unfortunately wasn’t good enough. It was the best I could do that’s for sure.
“I got absolutely everything I could from the car.
“The lads back at the factory have done such an amazing job to get the car closer to the Red Bulls, considering I think in testing we were further behind.”
Verstappen is the first non-mercedes driver to take pole on F1’s opening weekend since Sebastian Vettel in 2013. The Dutchman said: “There are no guarantees coming to the first race weekend but the car has been working really well and been really enjoyable to drive.
Happy
“The wind changing across every session is not easy to set up the car.
“It all worked out perfectly so I’m very happy with pole.”
Meanwhile, the pressure will be on Bottas, who comes into 2021 with just one win in 16 races in the same machine as Hamilton, who had 11 wins over 17 races last season.
He said: “It’s obviously not too bad. Not where we wanted to be but at least starting third, anything is possible.”