Nearly four tenths of a second, that was the margin that Max Verstappen had to rival Lewis Hamilton at the end of qualifying. The British Daily Mail describes the fast lap of the Dutchman in detail. “It was only one qualifying lap, a spark in the desert night, but it could be the flame that lights up the whole Formula 1 season. Max Verstappen conjured up a brilliant flash of precision and guts. He maximized the pace of his Red Bull. and colored the time screens purple. “
Also the Italian Gazzetta dello Sport praises the Dutchman and also highlights Hamilton’s performance. “After qualifying we saw how much pole position did to Verstappen. He showed his euphoria and eventually the Dutchman melted and even threw a cake in the face of David Coulthard. Red Bull and Verstappen more than fulfilled the role of favorites. It was clear that Lewis gave everything and was on his limit, but he still got almost four tenths. “
The Italian newspaper also thinks the Honda engine is now the best engine. “After Saturday in Bahrain, we can get caught up between a beautiful seasonal battle between the king and the promise that the king wants to knock off his throne. It is clear, however, that it is now Mercedes that has to chase Red Bull. because the Honda engine has really become the point of reference. “
From Corriere dello Sport points to the power of the car that Verstappen has at his disposal. “Finally there was Verstappen during the first race weekend of the year and the surprise was not that his talent came out of the paint, because there were no doubts about that, but especially that his Red Bull performed great. Newey has the car from last year again. equipped with an evolution that gives them an incredibly stable car. Now it is Mercedes that will have to chase this season. “
– .
