Max Verstappen claims Bahrain GP pole ahead of team-mate Sergio Perez; Ferraris on second row with Fernando Alonso starting fifth for Aston Martin ahead of George Russell and Lewis Hamiltonwatch Sunday's race live at 3pm on Sky Sports F1, with build-up from 1.30pm
Sunday 5 March 2023 07:10, UK
Max Verstappen will lead a Red Bull one-two off the line in the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix after the world champions fended off a feisty chasing pack in a pulsating and closely-fought qualifying.
A much-improved Ferrari had topped both the opening segments in the shootout - with Mercedes and Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso also in the mix - but Verstappen stamped his authority by roaring clear in Q3.
Verstappen posted the fastest time under the lights, a tenth ahead of Charles Leclerc, and then improved again to a 1:29.708 while Leclerc and Ferrari opted not to hit the track again to save tyres for Sunday's race.
"I think we were in the fight for pole, which was a good surprise to be honest," said Leclerc "I don't know if I would have been in pole or not but it would have been close."
His early exit from the car left the door open for Sergio Perez to out-pace the Monegasque to lockout the front row for Red Bull, while Ferrari's last hope Carlos Sainz could only manage fourth.
Alonso, George Russell and Lewis Hamilton were also missing from the final stages of qualifying after burning through their tyres earlier on in qualifying, and had to settle for fifth, sixth and seventh respectively.
They were all over half a second off Verstappen's pole in the end.
The returning Lance Stroll was eighth for Aston Martin, who - while not replicating their fastest times in two practice sessions - have ignited a genuine four-car fight for F1's top positions.
Bahrain GP Qualifying Result
1) Max Verstappen, Red Bull
2) Sergio Perez, Red Bull
3) Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
4) Carlos Sainz, Ferrari
5) Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin
6) George Russell, Mercedes
7) Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes
8) Lance Stroll, Aston Martin
9) Esteban Ocon, Alpine
10) Nico Hulkenberg, Haas
The final result from qualifying may have been what was expected at the end of testing - but the journey to Red Bull's season-opening one-two was anything but an easy ride.
Red Bull had been struggling with their balance heading into the session and, though Alonso was expected to be ready to pounce off the back of topping back-to-back practice sessions, it was Ferrari who were on top immediately.
The Scuderia, who had been quiet at testing and in practice, turned up their engines and set the pace in Q1 and Q2, through Sainz and then Leclerc.
In Q1, Verstappen and Perez were only seventh and 10th while in Q2, Mercedes looked to be in the hunt for pole, too.
But Verstappen, who had hinted at immense speed with his single run in Q2, then unleashed more pace in the final shootout to go fastest, albeit with Leclerc, purple through the middle sector, a tenth back.
It was a Red Bull-Ferrari battle - just as we saw last season - in the closing stages with Mercedes and Aston Martin having used up most of their soft tyres just to make it to Q3, but Ferrari then pulled their lead driver off the stage.
Leclerc, despite feeling he could have battled for pole, and Ferrari decided to abandon a final lap in favour of having more tyres available for Sunday's race.
Perez capitalised in the other Red Bull and now their rivals will hope their strategy decisions will pay off.
Rounding off the top 10 at Sakhir were Esteban Ocon in the Alpine and Nico Hulkenberg in the Haas, who both made it through to Q3 while seeing new team-mates - Pierre Gasly and Kevin Magnussen - exit in Q1.
McLaren have dropped back from the upper-midfield fight although Lando Norris did still impress in 11th, particularly after creeping out of Q1 with an identical time to the eliminated Williams rookie Logan Sargeant.
His new team-mate, another rookie in Oscar Piastri was another Q1 casualty.
Formula 1 is back! Watch the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix live on Sky Sports F1 this weekend. Sunday's race begins at 3pm, with build-up from 1.30pm. Get Sky Sports
