Verstappen achieved what Australia had not achieved since Alonso in 2014

It is true that Max Verstappen reached the best time of the day on Friday of the 2021 Bahrain Grand Prix, which confirms the strength shown Red bull During the season.

Owned Lewis Hamilton, A member of Mercedes, insisted that the German brand W12 was not yet where they wanted to be, finishing third on Friday night, which did not make him happy.

“I think we thought of it Red bull It will be quick, that’s it. We know they are leading now, but McLaren That’s very good. It’s nice to see them take that step, but it’s interesting to see how they are in the long run, ”said the Englishman at the end of the Zakiril process.

But not seeing a Mercedes in the qualifying round on Friday of the first race of the season is partly due to the fact that this did not happen after the 2014 Formula 1 season, which marked the beginning of the turbo hybrid era in racing. The highest category and, with it, the years of domination Mercedes Today there are seven builders ’championships.

That season began Australian Grand Prix A race won by the Germans in Melbourne, March 14-16 Nico Rosberg, But he and his teammate Louis Hamilton within the German team, who won the polar position.

That weekend ordered a free training session for the first race of a car season other than Silver Arrows. That honor belongs to the Spaniards Fernando Alonso, Fast forward to Albert Park in its fifth year Ferrari.

In 2015 Rosberg and Hamilton enforced the conditions from the first free practice, the German was the fastest on Friday two, although it did not help prevent his teammate from starting the championship start.

Rosberg is now paid in 2016 with a seven-time world champion. The Englishman was the king of training day, but left the top spot on the podium for Dutton, which was the start of four consecutive wins for his son. KK Rosberg Since then, his only championship in the highest category.

The same misfortune befell the English later on. In 2017, 2018 seemed to be in control of everything, but on both occasions he lost respect for Sebastian Cut, who was already a Ferrari rival.

Louis Hamilton, Mercedes AMG F1W08

Photographer: Motorsport pictures

In 2019 and 2020, Hamilton also made a name for himself in the timesheets on Friday, but on both occasions he saw the pride of his Finnish teammate Valteri Bodos, although last year, except in Austria, not in Melbourne.

Interestingly, one last time Red bull Dominating the first Friday of the year was a special moment for the Austrian home because it happened in 2013 when Sebastian Vettel drove his vehicle to take the polar position at Albert Park, but lost the race to Kimi Raikkonen’s lotus.

Despite escaping victory for the Germans at that start, he eventually celebrated his last drivers ‘world championship, but it was also the last builders’ trophy for the Austrian home.

Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull Racing

Photo: Andrew Ferraro / Motorsport pictures