Red Bull concede driver mistake for Verstappen’s crash in Bahrain qualifying

Red Bull have provided an update on Max Verstappen’s unfortunate crash in Bahrain qualifying, admitting that it was a driver mistake and not any kind of engine glitch.

Verstappen had stated that he had experienced a 150bhp power surge, thus raising concerns about some technical problem with the car. A ‘sticky throttle’ had emerged as one of the biggest possibilities for the crash, but Red Bull’s investigation have shown that the problem was caused by Max’s foot.

“It wasn’t a stuck throttle,” Horner told Autosport.

“I think when he got high on the kerb there was an oscillation on the foot. It was fairly obvious.

“The gearshift around there has always been a bit lumpy, and I think it was a combination of that, pushing flat out, up on the kerb, oscillation with the foot.

“Put a lot of stuff together, that’s what happens. There’s nothing to read into it.” he added.

Renault boss, Cyril Abiteboul too revealed that there was nothing wrong with the engine and the crash was primarily due to driver error.

“The engine has done exactly what the throttle was asking, it was very clear,” he said, as quoted by Autosport

“It’s a determinist thing – cause and consequence, when you press on the throttle, something is happening to the engine.

“The engine has reacted in exactly the same way that it was supposed to react.” Abiteboul added.

This raises serious concerns about Verstappen’s driving ahead of the Chinese Grand Prix with Hamilton already pointing out that maybe Max is a little too immature to be driving that Red Bull machine.