Summary

  • Verstappen beats Hamilton to Bahrain pole, Bottas 3rd

  • Perez out in Q2, Vettel out in Q1, Verstappen fastest in final practice

  • Get involved #bbcf1

Live Reporting

Michael Emons

  1. Back at 14:30 BST tomorrow

    We are back at 14:30 BST tomorrow (remember clocks go forward an hour tonight) and it is set up nicely to be a thrilling start to the season.

    Thanks for all your comments today and hope you can join us again, with the race starting at 16:00 BST.

    Have a good evening and see you tomorrow. Bye for now.

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  2. Verstappen beats Hamilton to Bahrain pole - read the report

    Andrew Benson
    BBC Sport’s chief F1 writer

    Max VerstappenReuters

    Red Bull's Max Verstappen beat Lewis Hamilton's Mercedes to take a stunning pole position at the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix.

    The Dutchman was 0.388 seconds quicker than Hamilton, as Red Bull made good on the pace the world champion had always said they had before the season.

    Hamilton's team-mate Valtteri Bottas was third, ahead of Ferrari's Charles Leclerc and Pierre Gasly's Alpha Tauri.

    Red Bull's Sergio Perez was 11th and Sebastian Vettel 18th for Aston Martin.

  3. Any race under the lights always looks special so let's hope it's a spectacular start to the season tomorrow.

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  4. 'Great first qualifying'

    A great performance from Pierre Gasly and he starts fifth in the Alpha Tauri tomorrow. He's just tweeted this...

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  5. Get Involved #bbcf1

    Verstappen on pole, Hamilton second, Bottas third

    David Douglas: Leclerc and Alonso with excellent performances.

    Ben: I'm disappointed that Perez didn't make Q3, but it is WAY too early to be writing him off as a flop. Watch the 2020 Sakhir GP again.

    Willem Mevius: Alonso Q3 and P9 and out-qualifying his team mate by 7 spots - not bad for a rookie :)

  6. 'Top 10 and points is the target'

    AlonsoReuters

    Alpine's Fernando Alonso, returning to Formula 1 after a two-year absence, speaking to Sky Sports: "The week has been difficult. I lack confidence in the rear of the car. You never know what to expect in the first session of the year but I am happy.

    "I was hoping a lot for qualifying but I think the wind direction changed. I came with some confidence into qualifying and it was better than I expected. I need to get a good start tomorrow, to get away from problems. I'm looking forward to it.

    "You have to pace yourself for the tyre management. The adrenaline and the fun to drive is amazing.

    "57 laps in a row - that will be the first time since testing. Top 10 and to score points is the target. If we do a good start and strategy, anything is possible."

  7. 'Special season'

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  8. Team by team

    Once again Max Verstappen is going to be fighting a lone battle at the front as he aims to hold off both the Mercedes.

    Here's how each team got on in qualifying.

    Alfa Romeo: 12th (Giovinazzi) and 14th (Raikkonen).

    Alpha Tauri: 5th (Gasly) and 13th (Tsunoda).

    Alpine: 9th (Alonso) and 16th (Ocon).

    Aston Martin: 10th (Stroll) and 18th (Vettel).

    Ferrari: 4th (Leclerc) and 8th (Sainz).

    Haas: 19th (Schumacher) and 20th (Mazepin).

    McLaren: 6th (Ricciardo) and 7th (Norris).

    Mercedes: 2nd (Hamilton) and 3rd (Bottas).

    Red Bull: 1st (Verstappen) and 11th (Perez).

    Williams: 15th (Russell) and 17th (Latifi).

  9. 'It will be very tight tomorrow'

    Max VerstappenReuters

    Red Bull boss Christian Horner, speaking to Sky Sports: "That's the real first test of the year. You can see it's nip and tuck. Max came back at the end on the softs.

    "It's fantastic for us - that's our first pole since 2013 and Honda's for about 30 years.

    "I think it's going to be very, very tight tomorrow. The whole team has worked hard over the winter and Honda have been fantastic.

    "Mercedes - look at how they have turned up. Everyone was writing them off. It'll be massively hard for us to beat them but we'll be there."

  10. Get Involved

    #bbcf1

    Fernando: My main man Fernando Alonso still out-driving his car like it's 2012. Never write him off. He's still the best pound for pound driver on the grid.

    Rob Elmore: Verstappen, Hamilton & Bottas leading the grid. Looks familiar!

    Andrew Priestley: We might actually have a viable title race on our hands this season!

  11. 'Anything is possible'

    Valtteri Bottas of Mercedes, who qualified in third place: "The practice this morning wasn't easy, I had a couple of issues with balance.

    "It was a bit better this evening. We used two sets of soft tyres in Q2 so in Q3, I only had one set of tyres, so it wasn't easy to compete with Max [Verstappen[ and Lewis [Hamilton.

    "Anything is possible and we can only aim for tomorrow. [Mercedes] and Max are starting on the mediums, so strategy-wise, nothing huge.

    "We have two cars in the mix at the front with Max, so we'll see."

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  12. 'I gave it everything'

    Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton, who will start second tomorrow, said: "Congratulations to Max. He did such an amazing job, so fast on that last lap.

    "I gave it everything I had but unfortunately not good enough. It was the best I could do and I got everything I could from the car.

    "We did a really good job from testing to come here and everyone in the factory has done a fantastic job considering in testing we thought we would be further behind."

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  13. 'We need a clean start tomorrow'

    Red Bull's Max Verstappen, who qualified on pole position: "We had a good week of testing. There are no guarantees but it's been great so far, really enjoyable to drive.

    "With the wind conditions changing, it's not easy to change the set up of the car but I'm really happy with pole position.

    "My first lap in Q3 wasn't amazing but finally, the balance was there. You have to be careful not to overheat the rear tyres.

    "The car has been steady on the short and long runs, we have a good car. We need a good, clean start."

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  14. Right, let's hear from the top three, starting with a very happy Dutchman...

  15. Get Involved

    #bbcf1

    Yaadman: This season is interesting already!!! Max with the first pole. Merc and Ham will need to pull a 2018.

  16. How they start the Bahrain GP

    • 1st Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
    • 2nd Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
    • 3rd Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes)
    • 4th Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
    • 5th Pierre Gasly (Alpha Tauri)
    • 6th Daniel Ricciardo (McLaren)
    • 7th Lando Norris (McLaren)
    • 8th Carlos Sainz (Ferrari)
    • 9th Fernando Alonso (Alpine)
    • 10th Lance Stroll (Aston Martin)
    • 11th Sergio Perez (Red Bull)
    • 12th Antonio Giovinazzi (Alfa Romeo)
    • 13th Yuki Tsunoda (Alpha Tauri)
    • 14th Kimi Raikkonen (Alfa Romeo)
    • 15th George Russell (Williams)
    • 16th - Esteban Ocon (Alpine)
    • 17th - Nicholas Latifi (Williams)
    • 18th - Sebastian Vettel (Aston Martin)
    • 19th - Mick Schumacher (Haas)
    • 20th - Nikita Mazepin (Haas)

  17. Jolyon Palmer
    Former Renault driver on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra

    Have a bit of that!

    You were just waiting and waiting for the Mercedes to respond and Hamilton is usually so good at the end of Q3.

    Verstappen, round one, almost four tenths to the Mercedes!

  18. Verstappen takes pole position for the Bahrain GP
    Breaking

    Max Verstappen, for only the fourth time in his career, gets pole position.

    World champion Lewis Hamilton is next to him, with Valtteri Bottas in third.

    Then comes Charles Leclerc in fourth, Pierre Gasly in fifth, Daniel Ricciardo in sixth, Lando Norris in seventh, Carlos Sainz in eighth, Fernando Alonso in ninth and Lance Stroll in 10th.

  19. Hamilton improves his time... but...

  20. Verstappen aiming for his fourth pole of his career.