We were hoping for fireworks at the first race of the 2024 F1 season, but there were no fireworks to be found in front of the field. Max Verstappen leads 19 other drivers to win the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix, his 55th career win. His teammate Sergio Perez followed suit, finishing second, and Red Bull missed the first race of the season for the second year in a row.
But if it was the fireworks you wanted, you could get it.
Thank you to my two teammates.
Further back, the Visa Cash App RB F1 team of Hiroki Tsunoda and Daniel Ricciardo was running outside the points as the race approached its final stages. Tsunoda, who was wearing hard tires, was running 13th, followed closely by Ricciardo who was wearing soft tires, and the team gave orders to Tsunoda.
Leave it to Ricardo.
Tsunoda was in disbelief and at first looked as if he had no intention of being passed by his teammates. He did so, but continued to vent his frustration on the team radio, as he noted in his post-race summary.
Tsunoda’s frustration continued after the checkered flag, as he cut in front of Ricciardo after the race, almost colliding with him.
“What the hell?” Ricardo yelled over the radio as Tsunoda passed him. “Oh, save it.”
Speaking to the media after the Bahrain Grand Prix, Ricciardo revealed that this ranking had been discussed within the team in the lead up to the race, and slammed his team-mates for their “immaturity”.
“I’m very sensible now, but call it immaturity,” he said. F1.com. “He’s obviously frustrated by the orders from the team.
“But to tell you the truth, this is something we talked about before the race. I was more likely to use the softs at the end of the race. So he thought I might have a pace advantage at the end. We knew something was going to happen if he got the call.”
The incident marks the beginning of an important season for both drivers. Tsunoda and Ricciardo are two of the 13 drivers whose contracts are due to expire at the end of the year, and both are aiming for promotion to Red Bull and the seat currently occupied by Perez. I also know that Liam Lawson is next in line. Waiting in the wing for an empty seat on the grid.
Contains any of the seats currently occupied.
Starting with tonight’s frosty debrief, will the team be able to smooth things over the next few days, or is this just a sign of what the season will be like at VCARB?
