Verstappen secures season-opener Pole position in Bahrain

Max Verstappen may be the only person ‘new year, new me’ doesn’t apply to with a qualifying display remnant of his 2023 performance rewarding the Red Bull driver with the first Pole position of the season.

Heading into the first qualifying session of the season, so much was still up in the air.

Each practice session had reflected a mixed bag of results, with the unknown only compounded by the slimmest of margins separating the front-running contenders.

As the light went green in the pitlane, Pole position was anyone’s for the taking…

Qualifying 1:

In search of front-row glory, Carlos Sainz led his teammate and the Alpine duo out onto the Bahrain International Circuit to make a prompt start to their Q1 campaigns. 

Sainz set his first time of 1:31.208s on the medium tyre, struggling to find traction in the cooler conditions.

He still managed to outpace his teammate, however, with Charles Leclerc sitting just 52 milliseconds back. 

The Alpine’s times were, expectedly, subpar compared to the Italian outfit, with Pierre Gasly’s run being deleted as he exceeded track limits.

At the 12-minute mark, the four drivers were soon accompanied on track by the remainder of the grid.

Alex Albon was the first soft tyre runner to set an official time in Q1, recording a 1:30.692s that was demoted by the Haas of Nico Hulkenberg.

Oscar Piastri crossed the line with an identical time to the Williams driver, settling for a temporary P3 before drifting down the order to P7.

At the top of the order, Max Verstappen found himself sitting pretty before the Ferraris made the switch to the C3 tyre.

Sparks fly from Carlos Sainz’s SF-24 during qualifying at the Bahrain GP. Image: Mark Sutton / Sutton Images.

Sainz was the first driver to crack the 1m 29s, moving into P1 and demoting the three-time world champion in the process.

At the same time, Logan Sargeant was on the radio to his team complaining of a slow-to-move Hamilton in his way, impacting his 

Following a short-lived lull, the drivers filed out of the pitlane for their final attempts at a Q2 appearance.

With most eager to solidify their place in the second qualifying session, Charles Leclerc was alone in his displeasure, questioning his team’s decision to send him out on a fresh set of soft tyres.

The Monegasque driver ultimately aborted his final run, dipping into the pits as the customary chaos of the closing Q1 moments ensued. 

Zhou Guanyu looked set for a run in Q2 after solidifying personal best Sectors 1 and 2, however, a final corner twitch cost him the chance. 

His teammate was one grid slot above, a margin that ultimately wouldn’t matter as the Sauber duo both drifted into the elimination zone. 

Yuki Tsunoda and Daniel Ricciardo were the next teammate-duo to set their final times, singing a happier tune for RB as they advanced to the second session in P11 and P13, respectively. 

Daniel Ricciardo on track during Qualifying for the Bahrain Grand Prix. Image: Clive Mason/Getty Images // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool.

Lewis Hamilton’s final run didn’t match up to his FP2 dominance, however, he was safe in P10, not too far behind George Russell.

As for the remainder of the elimination zone, it was no shock to see the Alpines knocked out in P19 and P10, set to occupy the back row of the grid in tomorrow’s Bahrain Grand Prix. 

The final place in the elimination zone was handed to Logan Sargeant, with the American racer lining up from P18 tomorrow.

Qualifying 2: 

Just as occurred in Q1, it was a quiet start to the second qualifying session, with the now 15-driver field remaining in their garages for an additional two minutes. 

As the clock struck 13 minutes, Hulkenberg led the entire cohort out of the pitlane, bar Mercedes. 

Setting off on their first flying laps, it was Lando Norris who held the early fastest time of a 1:29.941s, comprised of all three fastest sectors.

He sat almost seven-tenths ahead of Piastri before being outpaced by none other than Max Verstappen, who was at an advantage due to his fresh set of soft tyres.

As the drivers pulled into the pitlane for a quick reset, both Haas cars, RB cars and Albon were in the elimination zone.

Haas Mechanics push Nico Hulkenberg into the garage during Qualifying. Image: Simon Galloway / LAT Images.

With four minutes on the clock, the field recommenced their Q3 campaigns, however, not without controversy.

Leclerc was quick to point out the fact that cars were stopping in the pitlane, breaching race directions that specifically addressed the attempt to build a gap. 

He put his head down, chasing down the pack as he set off on his out-lap.

Hulkenberg was the first to reap the benefits of track evolution, skyrocketing his Haas into P2 and claiming the fastest Sector 3.

The same couldn’t be said for his teammate, with Magnussen’s final run only quick enough for a temporary P9, and an eventual elimination.

Albon’s lap told a similar story, with the Williams’ driver crossing the line in eighth fastest, a position that ultimately evolved into a Q2 exit. 

After much anticipation for the RB team, both drivers fell short of their hopes.

Daniel Ricciardo only promoted himself into a very at-risk P10, ultimately dropping below the cut-off at the hands of the extremely rapid #55 Ferrari. 

His teammate was also demoted into the elimination zone, this time by Piastri who finished the session on the stressful cusp of the top ten.

With Sainz and Verstappen showing strong pace in the top two, Leclerc went better, ending the second qualifying session at the head of the field.

The Mercedes drivers were the last to set their final Q2 times, raising heart rates back at the Brackley-based factory as they scraped through to the top ten shootout.

Knocked out in Q2 were Tsunoda, Stroll, Albon, Ricciardo and Magnussen.

Qualifying 3:

Keen to secure the first Pole position of the 2024 season, nine of the ten remaining drivers were instantly out of the gates as the light went green.

Fernando Alonso remained in his Aston Martin garage, spying on his competitors as they underwent their opening Q3 runs.

Piastri’s first attempt saw him a tenth back on Hulkenberg’s lap, the slowest time overall as the dust settled. 

Further up the order and despite earning a provisional top-three starting position, Russell’s lap wasn’t without flaw, with the Brit almost losing it through Turn 6.

His teammate was back in P7, with Hamilton four-tenths slower than the Red Bull of Sergio Perez who was just one position ahead. 

The Ferrari cars steadily continued, slotting themselves into P2 and P4 after their first attempts, however, it was Max Verstappen who claimed provisional Pole position. 

Max Verstappen during qualifying at the Bahrain GP. Image: Andy Hone / LAT Images.

Alonso finally came out onto the now empty track, proving a good call as he claimed a provisional P3 whilst securing the fastest middle sector.

2 minutes on the clock meant that it was time for the rest of the cavalry to rejoin the session, with Piastri the first to set off. 

The young Australian only improved to P7, with his teammate out-qualifying him in P6 before they were both demoted a place in the chaos of the final Q3 moments.

Lewis Hamilton was only good enough for P9, a disappointing result for the seven-time world champion considering George Russell’s top-three start for tomorrow.

Russell ended his first qualifying session on the season in P3, less than a tenth from Charles Leclerc who will be lining up on the front row for the Bahrain Grand Prix.

The Monegasque’s teammate will share the second row with the #63, with Sergio Perez and Fernando Alonso in his mirrors on the run down to Turn 1. 

As for the coveted Pole position, Max Verstappen’s streak continues.

The Dutchman will start the Bahrain Grand Prix from the lead grid slot after earning P1 with a Pole lap time of 1:29.179s.

Qualifying Results:

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