Max Verstappen wins Bahrain Grand Prix, laying down marker in opening race of the F1 season

Max Verstappen coasted to victory in the Bahrain Grand Prix on Saturday, laying down an ominous marker for the rest of the field in the opening race of this F1 season.

Max Verstappen coasted to victory in the Bahrain Grand Prix on Saturday, laying down an ominous marker for the rest of the field in the opening race of this F1 season. His win dispelled any notions that Red Bull’s dominance might have waned over the winter or that its preparations were significantly disrupted by an external investigation into team principal Christian Horner over allegations of inappropriate behavior. Horner was cleared of wrongdoing on Wednesday and reiterated that he denied the allegations on Friday after alleged leaked messages were distributed to members of the F1 community on Thursday in a Google Drive. CNN has been unable to corroborate their authenticity. Before the race began, Horner was joined in the paddock by his wife and former Spice Girl Geri Halliwell-Horner as they put on a display of unity amid the controversy. While that overshadowed Red Bull’s race weekend, it did not seem to affect the team’s performance on the track as Sergio Perez completed yet another 1-2 – a repeat result of last season’s opening race. Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz rounded out the podium in third. Verstappen and Red Bull enjoyed one of the most commanding seasons ever last year, and the three-time world champion continued that utter dominance in Bahrain, albeit in a newly designed car, picking up as many points as possible in the drivers’ championship by also recording the fastest lap.