P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Verstappen: Bahrain F1 GP "couldn’t have gone better"
The reigning world champion began his title defense by achieving a perfect score and dominating the race from start to finish, even setting the fastest lap to earn a bonus point. Max Verstappen beat his teammate, Sergio Perez, by 22.4 seconds, with Carlos Sainz coming in third. Verstappen was ecstatic with his performance, stating that the Grand Prix exceeded his expectations and that he felt in perfect harmony with his car, the RB20. He praised the car for its great performance on all tire compounds and enjoyed a trouble-free race, describing it as an ideal start to the year. Verstappen emphasized the rare joy of feeling truly connected to the car and experiencing a flawless race day, describing it as special and perfect. Perez, despite facing challenges like tire management and an engine braking issue, was satisfied with his second-place finish and saw it as the best outcome possible, noting the importance of learning from the race for the rest of the championship season.
