Max Verstappen delivers Red Bull 'catastrophe' verdict after Bahrain horror show

Max Verstappen has labelled his Bahrain Grand Prix a “catastrophe” following a difficult run to sixth place.

The Dutchman started on the soft tyres before switching to a set of hards on lap 10 - however, Verstappen endured a short stint on the white-walled compound as his pace suffered dramatically.

Verstappen was heard complaining about balance issues and overheating tyres throughout the 57-lap race, which also involved slow pit stops - once for a faulty release light and another for a stuck tyre.

A last-lap overtake on Pierre Gasly saw him progress to sixth, but it marked his lowest result in the opening four rounds.

“Everything went wrong, everything,” Verstappen reflected to Sky DE.

“A big problem and then the pit stop - I don't know what went wrong there either. 

“That was of course a catastrophe. As well, the hard tyres didn't work at all.”

Verstappen has slipped to third place in the drivers' standings as McLaren's Oscar Piastri moved to the runner-up spot following a dominant win around the Bahrain Intnerational Circuit.

While he was disappointed with how his race played out, Verstappen denies the strategy was instrumental to his finishing position.

“The mediums were slightly better,” Verstappen admitted.

“However, sixth place was the highest we could have achieved, whether we would have used one or two sets of mediums. The result would have been the same."