Postpublished at 14:57 Greenwich Mean Time 30 March 2019
This is our track. Who will be leading the way on it tomorrow afternoon?
Image source, .Summary
Ferrari's Leclerc takes maiden F1 pole position
Vettel 2nd in other Ferrari, Hamilton and Bottas 3rd and 4th for Mercedes
Out in Q2: Ricciardo, Albon, Gasly, Perez, Kvyat
Out in Q1: Giovinazzi, Hulkenberg, Stroll, Russell, Kubica
Bottas won opening race of season in Australia
Get involved: #bbcf1
Postpublished at 14:57 Greenwich Mean Time 30 March 2019
Image source, .Postpublished at 14:55 Greenwich Mean Time 30 March 2019
Five minute warning. Racing Point are ready. Best get in the cars then lads.
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End of twitter postFarcical facial hair in F1published at 14:54 Greenwich Mean Time 30 March 2019
More memories....
I think we may have a winner.... Harald Ertl!
Image source, Getty ImagesThe time to beat...published at 14:50 Greenwich Mean Time 30 March 2019
Image source, .Farcical facial hairpublished at 14:45 Greenwich Mean Time 30 March 2019
The memories continue...
Fernando Alonso and his beard caused a stir in the F1 paddock... much like Sebastian Vettel's upper lip hair is doing right now...
Image source, Getty ImagesMercedes magic coming up?published at 14:42 Greenwich Mean Time 30 March 2019
Andrew Benson
BBC Sport’s chief F1 writer in BahrainWhy were the Ferraris so much quicker than the Mercedes in final practice? The answer is that their advantage was all on the straights. Mercedes were actually quicker in the corners.
The question now is whether that remains the case in qualifying, when both teams will have their engines turned up to the maximum. Ferrari have looked a step ahead all weekend so far. What have Mercedes still got left in their box of magic tricks?
Postpublished at 14:39 Greenwich Mean Time 30 March 2019
Nearly time. Qualifying in 20 minutes. Don't go anywhere.
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End of twitter postEveryone wants to watchpublished at 14:35 Greenwich Mean Time 30 March 2019
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End of twitter postget involved Get Involved #bbcf1published at 14:29 Greenwich Mean Time 30 March 2019
Who will be the best / worst / surprise drivers and underachievers of the season?
MTQ: Best - Hamilton (how can anyone say otherwise?), Worst - Kubica (like to think it's the car but getting lapped by your teamate doesn't show well) Surprise - no Red Bull retirements in the first half of the season and McLaren podium (come on Lando Norris).
Postpublished at 14:26 Greenwich Mean Time 30 March 2019
A fourth pole for Sebastian Vettel incoming? By about 4pm, we will know. We'll have had one crazy hour of qualifying if Kubica adds to his total.
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End of twitter postPostpublished at 14:19 Greenwich Mean Time 30 March 2019
This is the picture in the constructors' title - Mercedes, with double the points of Ferrari, but for how long?
Image source, .get involved Get Involved #bbcf1published at 14:14 Greenwich Mean Time 30 March 2019
Who will be the best / worst / biggest surprise and biggest disappointments of the season?
Kayleigh: Best - Bottas. After last season, he’s got a lot to prove. Think he’s done a lot of work over the winter break and he’s gonna smash it this season. Worst - Kubica. Do I need to explain? Surprise of the season- Hulk finally gets a podium!
Vettel's facial hairpublished at 14:08 Greenwich Mean Time 30 March 2019
It is still the talk of the paddock
70's lounge singer to Super Mario to Nigel Mansell - who is Vettel really trying to emulate?
Well the Red Bull team are going for the 1970's look...
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End of twitter postThe standingspublished at 14:02 Greenwich Mean Time 30 March 2019
This is how they stand after the first of 21 races this season. The way this weekend has gone though so far, you'd expect a big points haul coming in tomorrow for the Ferrari pair.
Image source, .get involved Get Involved #bbcf1published at 13:55 Greenwich Mean Time 30 March 2019
Malingur, Ahmed: Although I'm a Hamilton fan, I'd love to see Leclerc win this weekend. The 2 wingmen from the 2 biggest contending teams wining the 1st 2 races lol. It would become a fascinating campaign to say the least.
James Stevens: Am I imagining things or did I see both McLarens in the top 10!
No James, you're spot on. Norris seventh, Sainz ninth. Same again for qualifying?
Falling in love with racing - meet F1's George Russellpublished at 13:51 Greenwich Mean Time 30 March 2019
Williams' new Formula 1 star George Russell tells BBC Sport how he first fell in love with racing and reveals the surprising things that go through his mind on the grid.
Have a watch of the clip below.
The facial hair debate continuespublished at 13:43 Greenwich Mean Time 30 March 2019
Is Vettel trying to emulate this man?
Is there anyone better in F1 than Nigel Mansell when it comes to upper lip fuzz?
Vettel take note!
Image source, Getty ImagesListen to the podcastpublished at 13:39 Greenwich Mean Time 30 March 2019
Qualifying gets going at 15:00 GMT, so plenty of time to check out our latest Chequered Flag Podcast.
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End of twitter postSession three reportpublished at 13:11 Greenwich Mean Time 30 March 2019
Andrew Benson
BBC Sport’s chief F1 writer in BahrainFerrari continued their domination of the Bahrain Grand Prix with a one-two in final practice, three-quarters of a second ahead of Mercedes.
Charles Leclerc set the pace, 0.169 seconds ahead of team-mate Sebastian Vettel and a massive 0.765secs clear of world champion Lewis Hamilton.
The positions are a complete reversal of those at the opening race of the season in Australia two weeks ago, when Mercedes led the field with a similar gap over Ferrari. Red Bull had a difficult session, with Max Verstappen down in eighth, but the Dutchman lost half a second in the final sector of his fastest lap.
Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto had said after the team dominated Friday practice that he thought the gap between the red cars and the Mercedes was down to engine modes. That may yet prove to be the case, but Ferrari head into qualifying very much as the team to beat.
Behind Hamilton, his team-mate Valtteri Bottas was fourth, ahead of Haas driver Romain Grosjean, Renault’s Nico Hulkenberg and McLaren’s Lando Norris, the midfield as closely packed as ever.
Daniel Ricciardo’s struggles at Renault continued - he was 0.7secs slower than team-mate Hulkenberg and down in 16th place.
Image source, ReutersWhat just happened?published at 13:08 Greenwich Mean Time 30 March 2019
Things to note from that session -
- What happened to Red Bull at the end? Eighth for Verstappen and a hugely disappointing 12th for Gasly, who had a tough first weekend in Melbourne and is not doing too well at this one either.
- That is a Haas, Renault and a McLaren inside the top seven - bodes well for qualifying.
- Daniel Ricciardo's Renault struggles are continuing. Down in 16th for the Australian.
- Williams so far adrift at the back. 1.3 seconds separates Antonio Giovinazzi in 18th, from George Russell in 19th.
- Ferrari dominance. Pure dominance.