Dutch driver Max Verstappen led Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez to a one-two in qualifying at the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix on Saturday.
The defending Formula 1 World Champion claimed his 21st career pole position, edging out Perez by 0.138s, a statement showing Red Bull remain the team to beat this season.
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc only completed a single run in the final segment of qualifying (Q3) and ended in third place ahead of teammate Carlos Sainz Jr.
Two-time champion Fernando Alonso was very solid during the practice session with his new team Aston Martin and the Spaniard was able to claim an impressive fifth, six-tenths of a second off polesitter Verstappen.
The Mercedes pair of George Russell and Lewis Hamilton were split by just 0.044s in sixth and seventh, respectively, while Lance Stroll, nursing an injured wrist from last week’s cycling accident, managed to finish eighth-quickest in the other Aston Martin, ahead of Alpine’s Esteban Ocon and Haas’ Nico Hulkenberg, on his F1 comeback.
A tantalising starting grid for Sunday's race! ????#BahrainGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/n6jTlfReUK
— Formula 1 (@F1) March 4, 2023
It was a difficult session for McLaren with Lando Norris missing out on Q3 in 11th, while his rookie teammate Oscar Piastri was only 18th fastest , ahead of fellow F1 newcomer Nyck de Vries in the AlphaTauri.
Ex-AlphaTauri driver, Pierre Gasly, will start last for his new team Alpine, after having his lap time deleted for exceeding track limits.
The first round of the 2023 F1 season, the Bahrain GP at the Bahrain International Circuit will kick off on Sunday, March 5.
