Max Verstappen has become the first driver to claim pole position in the 2024 F1 season, having set the pace in qualifying at the Bahrain Grand Prix.
After claiming provisional pole following the first laps in Q3, Verstappen again went top in the final runs with a time of 1m 29.179s, putting him 0.228s ahead of Charles Leclerc in second.
READ MORE: Verstappen beats Leclerc and Russell to pole for season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix
George Russell took third, ahead of Carlos Sainz in fourth while Sergio Perez rounded out the top five.
Fernando Alonso set the sixth quickest time on his only lap in Q3, and McLaren’s Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri will share the fourth row in P7 and P8. Lewis Hamilton ended the session in ninth, with Nico Hulkenberg behind in 10th.
Meanwhile it was a particularly difficult day for Alpine, as Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly exited Q1 in P19 and P20 respectively.
Click on the video above to watch the highlights from qualifying for the Bahrain Grand Prix.
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