Huge DSQ & Penalty Update As Red Bull In Crisis After Bahrain!
The 2025 Bahrain Grand Prix delivered a whirlwind of drama, with Red Bull Racing grappling with a performance crisis and Nico Hulkenberg’s disqualification stealing headlines. McLaren’s Oscar Piastri dominated the race, but the spotlight shifted to Red Bull’s struggles and the FIA’s post-race rulings, which exposed technical breaches and intensified scrutiny on the sport’s regulations. As Formula 1 fans dissect the fallout, the Bahrain GP has raised questions about Red Bull’s championship hopes and the fairness of the sport’s technical oversight.
Nico Hulkenberg’s disqualification was a major talking point. The Sauber driver, who finished 13th, was stripped of his result after the FIA found excessive wear on his car’s skid block. Measurements revealed the plank’s thickness at 8.4mm on the left and right sides and 8.5mm at the centerline, falling short of the mandatory 9mm required by Article 3.5.9 e) of the FIA Technical Regulations. This breach, confirmed by FIA technical delegate Joe Bauer, mirrored Lewis Hamilton’s disqualification in China earlier this season for a similar issue. Sauber acknowledged the error, and the stewards enforced the standard penalty, emphasizing the non-negotiable nature of technical compliance. While Hulkenberg’s disqualification didn’t cost Sauber points, it underscored the relentless precision demanded in F1’s technical arena.
Meanwhile, Red Bull’s performance was nothing short of a nightmare. Max Verstappen, starting seventh, could only salvage a sixth-place finish, 34 seconds behind Piastri. Yuki Tsunoda, in his first points finish for Red Bull this season, took ninth, but the team’s overall pace was dismal. Verstappen struggled with balance, grip, and brake issues, exacerbated by Bahrain’s abrasive track and high temperatures. His stint on hard tires was particularly disastrous, with the Dutchman unable to overtake Haas’ Esteban Ocon on older tires. Pit stops compounded the misery, with delays caused by a faulty release light and a stuck tire. Verstappen labeled the race a “catastrophe,” admitting, “Everything went wrong that could go wrong.”[](https://racingnews365.com/verstappen-delivers-red-bull-catastrophe-verdict-after-bahrain-horror-show)
The fallout prompted immediate action from Red Bull’s leadership. Team principal Christian Horner, advisor Helmut Marko, technical director Pierre Waché, and chief engineer Paul Monaghan convened crisis talks at the track to address the RB21’s deficiencies. Marko called the situation “very alarming,” pinpointing balance, grip, and pit stop failures as critical issues. “The car is not the fastest, and then the pit stops are not working. That is not acceptable,” he told motorsport.com. With McLaren’s Piastri and Lando Norris dominating the drivers’ standings, Red Bull’s 80-point deficit in the constructors’ championship looms large.[](https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2025/apr/14/red-bull-christian-horner-max-verstappen-lewis-hamilton-ferrari-bahrain-grand-prix)
Elsewhere, George Russell narrowly escaped punishment after an investigation into improper DRS use. During the race’s closing stages, Russell’s DRS flap opened despite him being more than a second behind the car ahead. He attributed the error to accidentally pressing the radio button while battling brake-by-wire issues. The stewards, noting the DRS was active for only 37 meters of a 700-meter straight, deemed it unintentional and without sporting advantage, as Russell lost 0.28 seconds by lifting off. The fair verdict preserved his well-earned second-place finish.[](https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1046824/f1-fia-george-russell-penalty-bahrain-grand-prix/)
The Bahrain GP exposed Red Bull’s vulnerabilities and highlighted the FIA’s stringent enforcement of technical rules. As the team scrambles to introduce upgrades for upcoming races, fans are left wondering if Verstappen and Red Bull can claw their way back into title contention. With the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix looming, the pressure is on for Red Bull to turn their season around.[](https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/f1-2025-bahrain-grand-prix-results-piastri-dominates/)
