Bahrain Grand Prix qualifying LIVE: F1 latest updates, track times, results, grid and pole position
Follow all the latest updates from the first grand prix of the season as Lewis Hamilton sets sights on a record eighth world title
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Your support makes all the difference.ed Bull’s Max Verstappen took a superb pole position on Saturday for the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix and will start the race immediately ahead of Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton. Verstappen earned his fourth career pole to deny Hamilton his 99th, edging out the world champion by .39 seconds on his final attempt. “The whole weekend has been pretty good so far,” Verstappen said. “We knew what our weaknesses were last year and it looks like we’ve addressed them.” Verstappen praised Honda for improving reliability. “Honda have worked really hard to improve their engine,” he said. “Their turnaround has been really good and their understanding of the engine is impressive. They are just flat out all the time and want to win.” Hamilton’s teammate Valtteri Bottas was .59 behind Verstappen in third, while Charles Leclerc qualified in an encouraging fourth for Ferrari. In another encouraging sign for Honda, Pierre Gasly was fifth for AlphaTauri, which also uses their engine. Verstappen clinched the season-ending Abu Dhabi last December from pole and now goes for the 11th win of his career. Hamilton seeks a record-extending 96th win. “We knew it was going to be a challenge, a bit of an uphill slog,” Hamilton said. “Congratulations to Max. I gave everything I had.” Verstappen led the first part of qualifying, known as Q1, ahead of AlphaTauri’s 20-year-old Japanese driver Yuki Tsunoda. Both cars use Honda engines and the Japanese manufacturer is in its final season before leaving F1. Sebastian Vettel, who endured a torrid season last year with Ferrari, started the new one badly. He was among the five drivers eliminated from Q1 and starts 18th for Aston Martin. Michael Schumacher’s son, Mick Schumacher, starts from 19th at the track where his father won the inaugural race in 2004, the year he clinched his seventh F1 title. Hamilton is looking to win a record eighth title. Ferrari duo Carlos Sainz Jr. and Leclerc topped Q2 ahead of Hamilton, an encouraging sign for the famed Italian manufacturer given last season’s difficulties. Earlier in the day, Verstappen clocked the fastest time in the final practice when, in hot conditions, he was .74 seconds quicker than Hamilton. Vettel came back to the garage with about 20 minutes left in the session, telling his team some debris had hit his race helmet. Qualifying took place in the evening under cooler conditions as the sun set on the Sakhir desert track. Verstappen is continuing his form from pre-season testing and last year’s season-ending Abu Dhabi GP, which he won. [AP}
Re-live all the action below.
RUSSELL GOES 13TH
The young British Williams driver did well to escape Q1, but he might struggle to break into the top 10 here.
He puts up a time of 1:33:430.
AS IT STANDS WITH FIVE MINUTES TO GO
1. Hamilton
2. Verstappen
3. Bottas
4. Norris
5. Sainz
6. Alonso
7. Leclerc
8. Gasly
9. Tsunoda
10. Stroll
--------------------
11. Giovinazzi
12. Raikkonen
13. Ricciardo - NO TIME SET
14. Perez - NO TIME SET
15. Russell - NO TIME SET
EIGHT MINUTES REMAINING IN Q2
Bottas has reached Q3 in all 79 races he has entered with Mercedes - will he keep that 100% record here in Sakhir?
He registers the first time of the session - 1:30:559, but Verstappen goes faster.
Hamilton tops that - 1:30:085 - to go fastest, while Norris is fourth.
Leclerc goes fifth but he is quickly edged by new teammate Sainz.
Perez moves into fourth ahead of Norris afterwards, but his time is deleted for going wide in turn four.
Q2 UNDERWAY
The Alfa Romeo pair of Giovinazzi and Raikkonen are likely candidates to fall at this stage, along with Russell.
Which other two could join them - and will any of them make a leap into the top 10?
FERRARI TROUBLES
Carlos Sainz nearly crashed out in the first stage of qualifying, struggling to get his engine going.
Q2 is imminent.
Q1 RESULTS - VETTEL OUT IN ASTON MARTIN DEBUT
Not a great start for Aston Martin’s headline act - Sebastian Vettel, the four-time World Champion, is out in Q1. It appears the yellow flag affected both his and Ocon’s run.
Runs are being investigated as there was a yellow flag. The winners of that session? George Russell and AlphaTauri.
The Williams driver is into Q2, while both Gasly and Tsunoda impressed.
16. Ocon
17. Latifi
18. Vettel
19. Schumacher
20. Mazepin
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