Max Verstappen immediately took pole position for the Bahrain GP during the first qualifying of the new F1 season. Charles Leclerc finished in second place while George Russel set the third fastest time. So three different cars in the top three and that is promising for the race.
Welcome to the first qualifying of the season
Hands up who’s excited?! #F1 #BahrainGP pic.com/ARMXqqEpX8
— Formula 1 (@F1) March 1, 2024
At 5 p.m. Belgian time, the light at the exit of the pit lane turned green and the first qualifying of the 2024 F1 season started. After three days of testing at the Bahrain International Circuit and three practice sessions this race weekend, it remained a matter of guesswork as to the balance of power between the teams.
Looking good in Q1 next up, Q2 @Carlossainz55 P1@Charles_Leclerc P7#BahrainGP #F1 pic.com/R95ClTeUx9
— Scuderia Ferrari (@ScuderiaFerrari) March 1, 2024
No more playing hide and seek and full speed towards the fastest possible time and in Q1 this meant a best time for Carlos Sainz in the Ferrari, followed by Lance Stroll in the Aston Martin and Max Verstappen who completed the top three. For Alpine it was immediately a harsh confrontation with reality. Alpine's F1 car is reportedly about 10 kilograms too heavy and this is also reflected in the lap times.
ELIMINATED IN Q1
Bottas
Zhou
Sargeant
Ocon
Gasly #F1 #BahrainGP pic.com/FcO7QPZIVN— Formula 1 (@F1) March 1, 2024
The stable rules seem to have ensured that the different cars are even closer together in terms of performance. It only made the battle for a place in Q3 even more exciting.
Tickets booked for Q3! @Charles_Leclerc P1@Carlossainz55 P3#BahrainGP #F1 pic.com/HEUQKX6R3M
— Scuderia Ferrari (@ScuderiaFerrari) March 1, 2024
In Q2 we initially saw Max Verstappen set the fastest time, but in the end Charles Leclerc in the Ferrari was two tenths faster than Max Verstappen. Fernando Alonso quickly advanced to Q3 in the Aston Martin, which could not be said of teammate Lance Stroll who was killed with a twelfth fastest time.
OUT in Q2:
11. Tsunoda +0.007s
12. Stroll
13. Albon
14. Ricciardo
15. Magnussen #F1 #BahrainGP pic.com/ABrvdKSVaG— Autosport (@autosport) March 1, 2024
The battle for a place in Q3 was quite exciting, with Mercedes also having to go all out for a place in Q3 at the end of the second qualifying section. It seemed to be the harbinger of an exciting battle for pole, with Max Verstappen and both Ferraris appearing to be battling for pole.
Good first laps from the boys in Q3 @Charles_Leclerc P2@Carlossainz55 P4 #BahrainGP #F1 pic.com/poD1Kqvu2X
— Scuderia Ferrari (@ScuderiaFerrari) March 1, 2024
During the first series of fast runs, Max Verstappen set the fastest time with 1:29.421. Good for a virtual pole position for the time being, but Charles Leclerc stranded just 0.059 seconds behind Verstappen. An ultimate second fast run followed and we had an exciting denouement of the battle for pole.
Max Verstappen improved his time to 1:29.179 and thus took pole position. Charles Leclerc stranded two-tenths behind Verstappen and started the race from the front row. George Russell completed the top three in the Mercedes. Carlos Sainz, Sergio Perez and Fernando Alonso were also within four-tenths of Verstappen. The driver field is therefore particularly close together and that is promising for the race.