Verstappen on pole for F1 season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix overshadowed by scrutiny of team boss
Formula 1 champion Max Verstappen has qualified on the pole for the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix as scrutiny of Red Bull’s boss overshadows the start of the new season
By JAMES ELLINGWORTH
Published - Mar 01, 2024, 12:23 PM ET
Last Updated - Mar 01, 2024, 12:23 PM EST
SAKHIR, Bahrain (AP) — Formula 1 champion Max Verstappen qualified on the pole Friday for the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix as scrutiny of Red Bull's boss overshadows the start of the new season.
Verstappen, who won the title in each of the last three seasons, was fastest for Red Bull by .228 seconds over Charles Leclerc of Ferrari. George Russell was third for Mercedes, while Carlos Sainz Jr. of Ferrari was fourth. The second Red Bull of Sergio Perez qualified fifth.
Verstappen won 19 out of 22 races last year — Perez won twice — but the relatively close qualifying times indicated other teams have closed the gap on Red Bull.
As the season begins, the focus has been on an investigation into Red Bull team principal Christian Horner.
