Verstappen admits he "didn't deserve a podium" despite getting close

Red Bull driver Max Verstappen got close to getting another podium finish in Bahrain until a Virtual Safety Car impeded him from overtaking the slow Charles Leclerc, but the Dutchman doesn't think he deserved to be on the podium anyway.

Verstappen was in P5 for pretty much the entire race, caught in no man's land between the Ferrari's and Silver Arrows in front and the midfield behind.

Still, he got really close to a podium finish in the end, as Sebastian Vettel spun out and Charles Leclerc had an engine failure. The Monegasque was several seconds a lap slower, losing about 40 km/h on the straights, but was still going.

Verstappen couldn't pass in the end, however, as both Renault cars had lost power at the same time and forced a Virtual Safety Car for the last laps. No overtakes allowed, and thus no podium for Verstappen.

"If that safety car hadn't come, we would've just taken him [Leclerc]," Verstappen told Ziggo Sport post race.