Verstappen eyes fourth title as rivals face ‘brutal’ reality

PARIS, Feb 25 — Max Verstappen looks set to cruise to a fourth consecutive drivers’ title with Red Bull as the dominant team again this year when the curtain rises on Formula One’s longest-ever season in Bahrain. Whatever the outcome of an independent investigation into allegations of controlling behaviour by team boss Christian Horner, Red Bull have built a crushing level of momentum and a stunning car that oozed potential in pre-season testing. With stable unchanged regulations and no changes to the driver line-ups, a year of deja vu is in prospect as the F1 circus embarks on a daunting and unprecedented run of 24 race weekends stretching to early December. Verstappen’s mental strength, the team’s well-oiled winning habit, the…