Summary

  • Leclerc wins, with Sainz 2nd in Ferrari one-two

  • Multiple overtakes as Leclerc and Verstappen fight for lead

  • Both Red Bulls retire late on

  • First race of new car design era

  • Gasly, Verstappen, Perez out

Live Reporting

Michael Emons

  1. 'We have worked extremely well as a team'

    Ferrari's Charles Leclerc, who will start on pole, says: "It feels good. The last two years have been difficult for the team. We were quite hopeful this was an opportunity to be back in the front.

    "We have worked extremely well as a team to find ours in the position to fight for better places. Very happy with today. It was a very tricky qualifying session I wasn’t quite happy with my driving but managed to do that lap in Q3.

    "From the driving point, it is completely different to last year, I've tried many different driving styles. There's much more to come from us.

    "It feels quite good, we were pretty sure Red Bull were going to be quicker than us. Now we need to finish the weekend on a high, its not going to be easy.

    "We need to focus on that and hopefully have a good race tomorrow. The race is long and anything can happen so we need to stay on it."

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  2. Leclerc takes Bahrain pole position - read the report

    Andrew Benson
    BBC Sport’s chief F1 writer in Bahrain

    bahrainGetty Images

    Ferrari's Charles Leclerc beat Red Bull's Max Verstappen to pole position in a thrilling qualifying session at the start of Formula 1's new era.

    After a difficult session Leclerc put it all together for his final lap and beat the world champion by 0.123 seconds at the Bahrain Grand Prix.

    Carlos Sainz had earlier been the faster Ferrari driver but slipped down to third, just 0.129secs off pole. Lewis Hamilton was fifth for Mercedes behind Red Bull's Sergio Perez.

    Hamilton was 0.680secs off pole as Mercedes' pre-event predictions that they were not yet on the pace proved correct. His new team-mate George Russell was ninth after making an error at Turn One on his only lap in the final session of qualifying.

    Russell was beaten by his predecessor at Mercedes Valtteri Bottas, an impressive sixth in his first race for the Alfa Romeo team, ahead of the equally impressive Kevin Magnussen on his return to F1 with the Haas team after a year away.

    Alpine's Fernando Alonso was eighth ahead of Russell, with Alpha Tauri's Pierre Gasly taking the final place in the top 10.

  3. Thanks for joining us

    Hello and welcome along to BBC Sport's coverage of the first race of the 2022 Formula 1 season - the Bahrain Grand Prix.

    I'm Michael Emons and it is my pleasure to be talking you through the action today.

    There's always something special about a new season and it's lights out at 15:00 GMT. As always we will have live radio commentary in this page later on.

    First up, a look back at qualifying. Ferrari are back!

  4. A good start to the season

    Last season was one of the best Formula 1 seasons in years - and this one hasn't started too badly either.

    Ferrari's Charles Leclerc snatched a dramatic pole position ahead of world champion Max Verstappen with Carlos Sainz taking third to ensure two Ferraris in the top three for the start of the Bahrain Grand Prix.

    And what of Mercedes? The current constructors' champions had a tough day with Lewis Hamilton fifth and George Russell ninth, but will be hoping to push towards the podium today.

    Charles LeclercGetty Images