Red Bull sinks into the Sakhir night

With his head in his hands, Adrian Newey is probably wondering which black cat has crossed his path. Red Bull Racing this Sunday on the Sakhir track in Bahrain. During the night, the two RB14s were quickly eliminated from the second Grand Prix of the season, due to two technical problems.

Daniel Ricciardo first saw his car “turn off” completely, causing the only neutralization of the event under safety car regime, before Max Verstappen is doubly cut off in its momentum.

It is a puncture after contact during an attack on Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes), which ruined the Dutchman's start to the race, before the latter, returning to the pits to change tires, was forced to stop.

“Due to the collision with Lewis we suffered more serious damage than just the puncture, describes Verstappen. We haven't had a chance to look at the car yet, but we suspect the differential. » The transmission indeed seems to be incriminated, as Team Principal Christian Horner points out.

“Unfortunately the contact at the exit of the corner caused a puncture and the resulting damage, and this affected the transmission on returning to the pits. » advances Horner, who also highlights a possible battery failure to justify Ricciardo's abandonment.

“The two cars retiring after two laps is extremely disappointing. continues the Briton. Especially when we had a racing car today capable of challenging Ferrari and Mercedes. »

Discover the full report and analysis of the Bahrain Grand Prix, produced by our special correspondents in Sakhir, in AUTO issue 2160hebdo, available tomorrow evening in digital version and this Wednesday on newsstands.