F1 | Qualifying | Bahrain GP | Piastri claims commanding pole ahead of Russell - Motorsport

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Oscar Piastri had a dominant outing in FP3, making him and his team mate Lando Norris the favourites for pole position this afternoon. Max Verstappen is second in the championship, but seems to be lacking pace to challenge the McLarens. Find out what happened in qualifying for the Bahrain GP in the report and results below.

Q1: Nervous times for Red Bull

At the green light it were the green cars of Lance Stroll, Fernando Alonso and Nico Hülkenberg that opened qualifying. Stroll broke the beam first with a 1:33.575, only for his time to be deleted for track limits. Alonso therefore takes provisional P1 with 1:32.362.

Verstappen is the next one out, but his attempt fails as he locks his brakes in the final corner. Yuki Tsunoda does complete a lap and beats Alonso’s time, only to be bested by Jack Doohan. His time is deleted too for track limits.

Lewis Hamilton fails to beat Doohan’s time, but team mate Charles Leclerc does by more than four tenths. Both McLarens go to the top, with Lando Norris leading from Oscar Piastri.

Alonso’s second attempt brings him to fifth for the moment, whereas Esteban Ocon’s first attempt is good enough for provisional ninth.

This leaves both Red Bull drivers without a time set, putting the pressure on both Verstappen and Tsunoda.

Gabriel Bortoleto and Ollie Bearman fail to improve significantly, but Isack Hadjar does, going to fifth for the moment.

Verstappen and Tsunoda go third and eleventh in their respective efforts, but the most important effort comes from Hülkenberg. He pushes Alex Albon in the dropzone as the final car on track, eliminating the Thai.

Knocked-out at the end of Q1:

Albon
Lawson
Bortoleto
Stroll
Bearman

Isack Hadjar during qualifying for the F1 Bahrain GP — Photo credit: Visa Cash App Racing Bulls

Q2: Heavy crash for Ocon

The second part of qualifying for the Bahrain GP is kicked-off by Tsunoda, who rather not wants another all-or-nothing lap at the end of the session to progress.

And while the Japanese driver tries to string his first lap together, it is Ocon who brings out the first red flag of the day. The Frenchman has a crash coming out of turn 2, wrecking the back of the car. He is ok, but the Haas mechanics will have a long night mending that car.

The Mercedes drivers restart Q2, but both are being noted for leaving the pit box to soon. Andrea Kimi Antonelli crosses the line in 1:31.178, closely followed by team mate George Russell.

Carlos Sainz splits both Mercedes drivers as Norris goes to the top. Piastri improves a little later to 1:30.454. Both Verstappen and Hamilton break off their lap. Doohan goes to provisional sixth to round up the first round of running.

Russell opens the dance for the second round of running in Q2. He improves to third.

Tsunoda goes to provisional sixth, as Pierre Gasly goes to third. Verstappen splits both Ferrari’s in seventh, but with only Leclerc behind him improving this means both Red Bulls are through to Q3.

Knocked out in Q2:

Doohan
Hadjar
Hülkenberg
Alonso
Ocon

Lewis Hamilton during qualifying for the Bahrain GP — Photo credit: Scuderia Ferrari

Q3: Piastri to the top

Red Bull leads the way out of the pits to start Q3, but with both cars on used tyres, both drivers are struggling. Verstappen more so than Tsunoda, with the Dutchman slotting in behind his team mate.

Antonelli beats both Red Bulls, Russell beats Antonelli by more than a second. Both Ferrari’s are also around a second slower than Russell.

The McLarens are next over the line. Piastri goes first, but Norris only manages third at the moment. Antonelli’s time is deleted for track limits, as is Hamilton’s, putting both behind Verstappen.

Tsunoda is the first to cross the line for the second attempt, improving to fourth. Antonelli improves to provisional pole, but Russell improves the time by 2 tenths.

Charles Leclerc splits both Mercedes drivers, as Verstappen only manages seventh. Piastri snubs the pole from George Russell by one-and-a-half tenth, whereas Norris only manages sixth.

In the closing seconds Sainz improves to eighth, dropping Hamilton and Tsunoda to ninth en tenth respectively.

This means that the front row will consist of Piastri and Russell, with Leclerc and Antonelli behind them.