Here comes the Mercedes duo to try to disturb the top of the order.

George Russell can't challenge the experienced racer Fernando Alonso and has to settle for fifth spot, while team-mate Lewis Hamilton can only claim seventh for now.

Charles Leclerc is out of the Ferrari and walking to the back of the garage...

Will: What does Alonso always say? No points won on Saturday. Won't be surprised to see him post one time and sit the rest of the session out and focus on tomorrow

Fernando Alonso is given his moment to shine in front of the Bahrain crowd. The Spaniard crosses the line four tenths slower than Max Verstappen and slots into fourth.

1. Max Verstappen (Red Bull)

2. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)

3. Sergio Perez (Red Bull)

4. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari)

5. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin)

Sam Bird
Formula E driver on BBC Radio 5 Live

We knew that Ferrari were competitive on one lap pace, but it looks like Red Bull have the performance on race runs so this could be really tight going into their second run on new tyres.

Charles Leclerc is next to challenge for the front but the Ferrari driver can't topple world champion Max Verstappen and hits a time of a 1:30 flat to go second.

The Dutchman is collecting up purple sectors with ease.

What time does he clock? A 1:29.897 for Max Verstappen.

Provisional pole.

Red Bull? Aston Martin? Ferrari? Mercedes?

Which team is going to nail this lap and stick it pole for the season opener?

Max Verstappen is making his first attempt...

Sam Bird
Formula E driver on BBC Radio 5 Live

Right now the top teams are at the top again. Ferrari, Red Bull, Mercedes dominating the top five and Fernando in there somewhere. What I'm excited about tomorrow is what can Alonso do with a higher downforce package. I think they're looking at it in terms of the long game.

Softly, softly with the tyres once again.

Andrew Benson
BBC Sport’s chief F1 writer

That looks to me like a classically big lap from Leclerc. Generally Sainz has been sneaking ahead and suddenly Leclerc is three-tenths quicker.

Ring the bell. Q3 is ready.

Here are the drivers fighting it out for pole position:

1. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)

2. Max Verstappen (Red Bul)

3. George Russell (Mercedes)

4. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)

5. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari)

6. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin)

7. Sergio Perez (Red Bull)

8. Nico Hulkenberg (Haas)

9. Esteban Ocon (Alpine)

10. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin)

Image source, Getty Images

Sam Bird
Formula E driver on BBC Radio 5 Live

It is really topsy-turvy at the moment. It looks like huge track evolution. Every time anyone puts a second set of soft tyres they find a good three to five tenths.

11. Lando Norris (McLaren)

12. Valtteri Bottas (Alfa Romeo)

13. Zhou Guanyu (Alfa Romeo)

14. Yuki Tsunoda (Alpha Tauri)

15. Alex Albon (Williams)

Rosanna Tennant
5 Live F1 reporter

As you would expect a general theme of disappointment (from drivers eliminated in Q1). Pierre Gasly very disappointed but the red flag didn't help in terms of getting into a rhythm.

Alpha Tauri taking comfort that their long-run ace is better than their single run pace.

Charles Leclerc goes quickest overall with a 1:30.282. George Russell goes third fastest and Lewis Hamilton slots into fourth.

Lando Norris, unfortunately, finds himself kicked to the kerb in Q2.

The line is reached by Esteban Ocon and the Frenchman vaults up the order and into fifth spot.

Wow. Nico Hulkenberg is up into P3 in the Haas.

Just a single pink Alpine is fighting to get through to the top-10 shootout after Pierre Gasly was booted out in Q1. Esteban Ocon is making his way through the field on his flying lap.

The Haas of Kevin Magnussen and Alfa Romeo's Valtteri Bottas are also positioned just inside the top 10.