Max Verstappen defeated Ferrari's Charles Leclerc and Mercedes' George Russell to take the pole at the Formula 1 2024 season's opening race at the Bahrain Grand Prix on Friday evening.
The defending champion emerged as the fastest driver in the season's first qualifying with a 1:29.179s finish in Q3. Both Leclerc and Russell gave their best in the tight micro-second clash but the Red Bull race finished ahead to take the first place on the grid in the Saturday race.
Ferrari will be happy with the qualifying results with Carlos Sainz finishing the fourth to make it two in the top four for the main race at the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir. Verstappen's partner Sergio Perez took the fifth place to boost his chances for the podium ahead of sixth-placed veteran Fernando Alonso of Aston Martin.
Meanwhile, the seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton, racing in his last season with Mercedes, kicked off the 2024 campaign with a disappointing start. The British driver recorded 1:29.710s in the Q3 to settle for the ninth place in the qualifying.
McLaren duo Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri will start the Saturday race in the fourth row as they finished seventh and eighth. Haas' veteran race Nico Hulkenberg finished last in the Q3 to take the tenth spot on the grid, ahead of the likes of Yuki Tsunoda and Lance Stroll.
Bahrain Grand Prix 2024 Qualifying Results (Q3):
- Max Verstappen (Red Bull) - 1:29.179
- Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) - 1:29.407
- George Russell (Mercedes) - 1:29.485
- Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) - 1:29.507
- Sergio Perez (Red Bull) - 1:29.537
- Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) - 1:29.542
- Lando Norris (McLaren) - 1:29.614
- Oscar Piastri (McLaren) - 1:29.683
- Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) - 1:29.710
- Nico Hulkenberg (Haas) - 1:30.502
Alpine struggled in Q1 as their drivers Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly finished last in qualifying and will take the last row on the grid in the main race tomorrow.
