Max Verstappen stated his maiden win of 2026 on the Method 1 Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia was “hectic” however “tremendous good” to attain for Pink Bull.
Verstappen cruised to his 72nd profession win at Sepang, the circuit the place he took his second-ever F1 win when the game final raced right here in 2017.
The Dutchman took the chequered flag forward of the present championship chief Andrea Kimi Antonelli after a rain-interrupted begin to earn his and Pink Bull’s first win of the season.
Reflecting on the 56-lap race, the 29-year-old stated he was “proud” of the crew for the journey they’ve been on since a troublesome begin to F1’s newest period at the start of the season.
“It’s a very nice one, you already know,” he instructed David Coulthard in Parc Ferme after the race.
“After the 12 months that we’ve had and the development that we’ve made, I’m extremely pleased with everybody, and it’s simply tremendous good to win right here.”
However Verstappen’s highway to victory was not simple. After taking pole for the race on Saturday, the Pink Bull driver acquired off to a sluggish begin.
Heavy rain hit Sepang simply earlier than the scheduled begin time, delaying lights out.
Then, when the race lastly acquired underway, Verstappen described the “hectic” opening section, which he finally overcame to take again the outright race lead from Antonelli.
“Yeah, it was very hectic with a whole lot of various things within the begin,” Verstappen added.
“No energy, so it’s important to anticipate the ability to kick in however then we made the proper name with the Intermediates.
“After that, you already know, step-by-step we moved our means ahead and from there we might do our personal race till the tip once more.”
Max Verstappen describes “unbelievable” Pink Bull achievement F1 Bahrain GP
Not solely was the Bahrain GP in Malaysia Verstappen’s maiden win of the season, but it surely was additionally the primary F1 win for the RBPT-Ford energy unit.
Having entered the game as a buyer outfit in 2005, it was late Pink Bull founder Dietrich Mateschitz’s imaginative and prescient to see the crew emerge victorious as a works outfit.
The wheels he set in movement earlier than his dying got here good for the crew and Verstappen at Sepang, one thing he described as an “unbelievable” feat.
“It’s unbelievable,” the four-time F1 World Champion stated.
“I feel already, after all, we began, but in addition to win our first race in our first 12 months with our personal energy unit is fairly spectacular.”
Up subsequent for Verstappen and Pink Bull is the Marina Bay Road Circuit for the Singapore GP – a monitor the place Verstappen is but to attain a win in F1.
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