The name of Fernando Alonso is back after a two-year absence from F1.

And it was like the two-time world champion had never been away as he jumped into the top 10 to qualify ninth yesterday.

A quick reminder of the chosen 20 that will be on the grid in 2021.

• Alfa Romeo: Antonio Giovinazzi (Italy) and Kimi Raikkonen (Finland)
• Alpha Tauri: Pierre Gasly (France) and Yuki Tsunoda (Japan)
• Alpine (formerly Renault): Fernando Alonso (Spain) and Esteban Ocon (France)
• Aston Martin (formerly Racing Point): Lance Stroll (Canada) and Sebastian Vettel (Germany)
• Ferrari: Charles Leclerc (Monaco) and Carlos Sainz (Spain)
• Haas: Nikita Mazepin (Russia) and Mick Schumacher (Germany)
• McLaren: Lando Norris (Great Britain) and Daniel Ricciardo (Australia)
• Mercedes: Valtteri Bottas (Finland) and Lewis Hamilton (Great Britain)
• Red Bull: Sergio Perez (Mexico) and Max Verstappen (Netherlands)
• Williams: Nicholas Latifi (Canada) and George Russell (Great Britain)

Out from last year: Alexander Albon (Red Bull), Romain Grosjean (Haas), Daniil Kvyat (Alpha Tauri), Kevin Magnussen (Haas).

Here's a video looking back at the incredible career of legendary Formula One commentator Murray Walker, who has sadly died aged 97.

There's a lovely tribute from Williams this weekend on their 'halo' to legendary commentator Murray Walker, who sadly died recently at the age of 97.

It includes one of Murray's most famous quotes of "and I've got to stop, because I've got a lump in my throat" which he used as Damon Hill became world champion back in 1996.

Image source, F1

Kayleigh: Anyone nervously excited for the race? Excited cause it’s not a Mercedes on pole. But nervous cause it's Bahrain and the Mercedes lay in two and three.

Andrew Priestley: Max Verstappen clearly now has a car which will allow him to go toe-to-toe with Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes this season for the championship. However, the real question is whether he has matured enough to be able to consistently handle the pressure that Lewis will pile on.

It will be interesting to see how Mick Schumacher, son of seven-time world champion Michael, gets on today.

He qualified 19th but has been pushed forward a spot to 18th after Sebastian Vettel's five-place grid penalty.

Watch below as Schumacher tells BBC sports editor Dan Roan he is "happy to have brought back the Schumacher name into F1" as he prepares for his "lifelong dream" of competing in a Formula 1 race.

Aston Martin's Sebastian Vettel, who starts from the back of the grid, speaking to Sky Sports: "We were already quite far back so it doesn't matter. Hopefully we come up with something so we can move up and enjoy it along the way.

"You go day by day and yesterday was not the best day but generally the team is great. It will come with time."

Andrew Benson
BBC Sport’s chief F1 writer

Not a great start for Aston Martin, the new name for the former Racing Point team, and especially not for new signing Sebastian Vettel. The German was knocked out in first qualifying after being overtaken by Haas rookie Nikita Mazepin - against the drivers’ ethical code - before the penultimate corner, and then finding the Russian spinning in front of him at Turn One, as a result of a brake problem, Mazepin said.

Vettel was then hit with a five-place grid penalty for not respecting the yellow flags waved for the incident, so will be starting plumb last.

Team-mate Lance Stroll did make it into the top 10, but was the slowest of the group, and team boss Otmar Szafnauer was bemoaning their loss of performance over the winter.

He puts this down to the aerodynamic restrictions that have cut away part of the rear floors affecting Mercedes and Aston Martin more than anyone else, on account of them using a different aerodynamic philosophy to the rest of the grid.

The least enthusiastic celebration...

Karen Waddy: Much as I'm looking forward to seeing what Checo can do in a Red Bull (ignoring yesterday's performance), I'd have been more excited to have seen George Russell alongside Max this season.

Robert Houghton: Let’s hope Max can keep Lewis behind him.

It's the first race for the new partnership of Lando Norris and Daniel Ricciardo at McLaren and they will be hoping for a large haul of points as Ricciardo starts sixth, with Norris one spot further back.

Andrew Benson
BBC Sport’s chief F1 writer

Not for the first time, Charles Leclerc proved one of the stand-out stars of qualifying in Bahrain on Saturday. The 23-year-old had appeared to be behind new team-mate Carlos Sainz for much of practice, but boy did he pull it out in qualifying, ending up fourth on the grid, four places and more than 0.5secs quicker than Sainz.

Leclerc’s wide-eyed smile said it all. But was this a measure of Ferrari’s pace, or him yet again out-performing the car, as he did so many times last year? Leclerc was eager not to take too much from it: “We have to keep our feet on the ground, It is only one race in strange conditions. But we should be satisfied with the step we made.”

Sainz, despite the ultimate deficit to his team-mate, was satisfied with his performance on his first weekend in red: “It’s been a very positive weekend for me. I have been on top of the car all weekend, but the Q3 lap did not go to plan. I didn’t know how to extract the last few 10ths. But I am not going to let that spoil what has been a very good weekend for me.”

Stephen Taylor: Think Max has a great chance to win today but a 2nd and 3rd would be fine for Mercedes. All I want is a competitive season but I fear hopes of close championship fight won't last. Mercedes could be back with a dominant vengeance in Imola if they bring a big upgrade.

And the thoughts of Pierre Gasly (fifth), George Russell (15th) and Esteban Ocon (16th).

Max Verstappen starts on pole, Valtteri Bottas in third and Carlos Sainz in eighth and this is what they had to say.

Fancy getting involved? Of course you do. New season, same old drill.

Tweet us using #bbcf1 with all your F1-related thoughts, predictions, hopes and jokes.

Go!

All weekend we've been holding votes to decide the best looking car on the grid in 2021 and we're down to the final - between Aston Martin and Williams.

If you prefer the Aston Martin then press 'thumbs up' if you want the Williams to win then press 'thumbs down'.

You have one hour to vote and however it stands at 15:45 BST will be the result.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Round 1

• Williams (10) beat Alpha Tauri (7) (2,075-1,119)
• Alfa Romeo (8) beat Haas (9) (3,664-417)

Quarter-finals

1. Aston Martin (4) beat Alpine (5) (2,758-2,318)
2. McLaren (3) beat Ferrari (6) (5,005-1,121)
3. Alfa Romeo beat Red Bull (2) (1,340-840)
4. Williams beat Mercedes (1) (3,835-2,598)

Semi-finals

• Aston Martin beat Alfa Romeo (2,401-1,108)
• Williams beat McLaren (1,838-1,700)

Final

• Sunday, 14:45 BST - Aston Martin v Williams

Andrew Benson
BBC Sport’s chief F1 writer

Welcome to a new world, one in which a Mercedes is not the fastest car in Formula 1. That honour, at least at this first race of the season, goes to Max Verstappen’s Red Bull, and it seems clear already that the world champions of the last seven years face a serious fight this year.

It was a measure of how far Mercedes felt they were behind Red Bull heading into this race that, despite a qualifying deficit of nearly 0.4 seconds, Hamilton was pleased - he had expected double that, he said.

The race is finely poised. Hamilton expects Verstappen to have a pace advantage, but they were neck-and-neck on the race runs on Friday evening. Mercedes have two cars with which to play strategic games against Red Bull, but Valtteri Bottas has been struggling this weekend, especially on long runs.

Even their tyre selection for the race is different. Both start on the medium, but Hamilton has two new sets of hards, and Verstappen only one; Verstappen one new set of mediums, Hamilton only used.

Before we get going at 16:00 BST, there's time to have a watch of this clip as our 5 Live experts discuss Max Verstappen and how he has progressed in his career.