F1: Double retirement Red Bull’s ‘worst nightmare’ – Gulf Digital News

F1: Double retirement Red Bull’s ‘worst nightmare’ – Gulf Digital News

MANAMA: The dream turned into a nightmare for Formula One world champion Max Verstappen in Bahrain on Sunday when Red Bull’s challenge for victory in the season-opening race ended in double retirement.

The Dutch driver took the fight to Ferrari’s eventual race winner Charles Leclerc early on but his hopes died when he retired from second place three laps from the end.

Mexican team mate Sergio Perez also failed to make it to the chequered flag.

Team boss Christian Horner said it had been a “brutal finish” and the double retirement was the team’s “worst nightmare”.

Verstappen explained his car’s brakes were overheating early on and then there was a problem with its balance and steering before what finally appeared to be a fuel system issue.

“It was just almost impossible to steer and the faster I was going, it felt also like there was a delay,” he told Sky Sports television. “So every time I was turning right it took a while before something was happening.

“It was very hard out there, a lot of different issues we had to deal with.”

Brutal

The 24-year-old, who suffered two retirements last season on his way to the title, said the performance was in the car but he