Red Bull ‘wouldn’t mind boring year’ but expects closer F1 races

Defending champion Max Verstappen controlled proceedings from pole to never face a genuine threat as he claimed his first win in Bahrain by almost 12s.

Team-mate Sergio Perez completed a comfortable Red Bull 1-2, helped by Ferrari rival Charles Leclerc retiring on lap 39 of 57 with an electronics system failure.

That left the Mexican to hold a 27s cushion of his own over podium finisher Fernando Alonso.

Given the level of supremacy exerted by the RB19s, there have…