Bahrain Doctor: Max Verstappen aims to give first chance to seize early F1 lead against Lewis Hamilton

Max Verstappen looks to win the opening event of the F1 season for the first time since the front row leader ahead of seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton; watch the first F1 2021 race live from 4pm on Sky Sports F1, with a pick-up from 2.30pm

Max Verstappen will attempt to launch a mermaid title challenge in the new Formula 1 season by winning from a pole position in the Bahrain Grand Prix on Sunday afternoon.

Red Bull are above the grid at the opening round of the F1 season for the first time since their last season winning a tournament eight years ago after Verstappen delivered on what had emerged at the RB16B’s forward pace over Mercedes to beat Lewis Hamilton to a pole position nearly four-tenths of a second.

Hamilton and Verstappen have shared the front row five times previously in F1 but this is the first time the young Dutchman has benefited from a pole position.

Verstappen is still only 23 but is now in his seventh season in the sport and has not achieved any of his 10 race victories so far in three campaign opening rounds. He had never led the Driver’s Championship.

But those two statistics could change in Sunday’s 57-lap race, which offers great promise and starting at 4pm live only on Sky Sports F1 and Main Event.

Speaking in a SkyPad sighting after deserving a review of his pole lap, Verstappen said: “For us it’s been a long time since we’ve been so competitive in the first weekend. race.

Adding to him that such a strong start represents a new position for him in F1, Verstappen said: “I’ve never been there, I didn’t want to say that! It’s been a while for Red Bull.

“We’ll see how the rest of the car goes but at the moment, very pleased.”

What happened to Mercedes?

In the same vein and in similar circumstances four months ago, Mercedes locked out the front row and took advantage over Verstappen who were in third place by four tenths of a second.

Winter rule changes, aimed at cutting down force at the back of the car and thus lap times, have cost the performance of all teams but appear to have hindered Mercedes more than Red Bull, who adopts different philosophies on a ‘rake’ angle – with the latter running their chassis higher at the rear.

Hamilton and team principal Toto Wolff have both announced in Bahrain that the changes were made to shake up the packing order, with F1 under Mercedes control since 2014.

Mercedes drivers thought their new W12 was infamous at the back in tests in Bahrain and, although improvements have been made since then, the team is still slamming Red Bull.

“This is the first race of the season and Red Bull has a faster car in qualifying for Bahrain than we do,” Wolff said.

“I’m proud of how we got through the test, that was below best, but the fight is on. “

Assessing the areas where Mercedes is losing out to Red Bull, Wolff said: “We are losing at the high speed, you can clearly see that that is a shortfall. We are losing a bit. on the engine side in terms of downgrades, we are still not in a happy place to get our energy back.

“But there’s not a single point where we could say there’s a big gap.”

Wolff also praised the progress made by Honda, Red Bull’s engine suppliers, with their winter power unit for their final Formula 1 season.

Sunday’s race is usually around the Sakhir version, which takes place under floodlights, hard on tires and brakes with the expectation of two pit stops for the main drivers. Verstappen, Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas, who finished third in the Mercedes second, will start the race on the middle tires.