Reigning Formula One World Champion Max Verstappen put down his marker for the opening Bahrain Grand Prix by putting his Red Bull on pole position in qualifying.
The two-time World Champion will line up next to his teammate Serio Perez after clocking a 1min 29.708sec lap to start tomorrow’s race from a prime position.
The Ferrari pair of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz will start third and fourth respectively, with Aston Martin’s veteran Fernando Alonso bringing his free practice pace into qualifying finishing an impressive fifth.
Mercedes hope for a much better 2023 season has not materialised as yet with George Russell outpacing his seven-time World Champion teammate Lewis Hamilton to take sixth and seventh.
Alonso’s teammate Lance Stroll starts in eighth with Alpine’s Esteban Ocon and Mclaren’s Lando Norris rounding off the top ten.
