F1 RESULTS: Max Verstappen on pole at Bahrain GP as Lewis Hamilton struggles in qualifying

Max Verstappen struck the first blow of the new Formula One season by securing pole position for the Bahrain Grand Prix.

The double world champion beat Sergio Perez as Red Bull locked out the front row by one tenth of a second with Charles Leclerc third for Ferrari.

Carlos Sainz finished fourth in the other scarlet car ahead of Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso. George Russell qualified sixth as Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton could manage only seventh.

Hamilton, 38, finished more than six tenths adrift of Verstappen as his fears that Mercedes have fallen further behind their rivals were played out under the thousand of bulbs that light up the Sakhir circuit.

Follow reaction from qualifying at the Bahrain Grand Prix

F1 QUALIFYING - BAHRAIN GRAND PRIX

• Max Verstappen will be on pole for the Bahrain GP; Perez 2nd; Leclerc 3rd

• Lewis Hamilton only manages P7; Alonso 4th; Russell 5th; Sainz 6th

• Lando Norris knocked out in Q3, also out: Bottas, Zhou, Tsunoda, Albon

• Pierre Gasly knocked out in Q1, also out: Sargeant, Magnussen, Piastri, De Vries

• Fernando Alonso went fastest in FP3 on Saturday; Verstappen P2; Perez P3; Hamilton P4

• FEATURE: Lewis Hamilton is in the shape of his life – but will it all be in vain?

F1 qualifying - Bahrain Grand Prix: Goodbye!

17:45 , Kieran Jackson

Thanks for joining us for today’s coverage of qualifying at the Bahrain Grand Prix, with Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez locking out the front row for Red Bull!

Join us tomorrow for more live coverage - lights out is at 3pm (GMT)!

See you then!

F1 qualifying - Bahrain Grand Prix: Max Verstappen takes pole at Bahrain Grand Prix but Lewis Hamilton down the order

17:33 , Kieran Jackson

Max Verstappen struck the first blow of the new Formula One season by securing pole position for the Bahrain Grand Prix.

The double world champion beat Sergio Perez as Red Bull locked out the front row by one tenth of a second with Charles Leclerc third for Ferrari.

Carlos Sainz finished fourth in the other scarlet car ahead of Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso. George Russell qualified sixth as Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton could manage only seventh.

Hamilton, 38, finished more than six tenths adrift of Verstappen as his fears that Mercedes have fallen further behind their rivals were played out under the thousand of bulbs that light up the Sakhir circuit.

But there were no such concerns for Verstappen as the pre-season favourite, who last year won 15 of the 22 races as he claimed his second consecutive world title, secured his 21st pole on his father Jos Verstappen’s 51st birthday.

Max Verstappen takes pole position for first race of F1 season in Bahrain

F1 qualifying - Bahrain Grand Prix: STARTING GRID

17:22 , Kieran Jackson

Here’s the starting grid for tomorrow’s race:

1) Max Verstappen

2) Sergio Perez

3) Charles Leclerc

4) Carlos Sainz

5) Fernando Alonso

6) George Russell

7) Lewis Hamilton

8) Lance Stroll

9) Esteban Ocon

10) Nico Hulkenberg

11) Lando Norris

12) Valtteri Bottas

13) Zhou Guanyu

14) Yuki Tsunoda

15) Alex Albon

16) Logan Sargeant

17) Kevin Magnussen

18) Oscar Piastri

19) Nyck de Vries

20) Pierre Gasly

F1 qualifying - Bahrain Grand Prix: Carlos Sainz...

17:14 , Kieran Jackson

“Finally in quali I could put myself together and put out some good laps. Still not very happy with a few corners. We’re in a much better position for tomorrow.

“Gut feeling is we’re going to try our best to battle the Red Bulls. They are one-and-a-half steps ahead in racepace. We need to do some fine-tuning on setup.”

F1 qualifying - Bahrain Grand Prix: Fernando Alonso...

17:04 , Kieran Jackson

“Pole was too optimistic. Our aim was top five top six. Our expectations were to be 0.5 behind Red Bull, it is around that time. We expect this position, I’m extremely happy.

“I’m very surprised. I believe in the project. Very talented design group. I felt Aston Martin would be a competitor in the future. This car is a very basic car, this is just the baseline. Top-five race one wasn’t expected for everybody.

“I trust the people Lawrence was hiring. The strength of the car has been the long runs, very low degradation. It sounds too good for me to say, tomorrow starting P5, we aim to start on the podium. This sounds amazing!”

F1 qualifying - Bahrain Grand Prix: George Russell...

16:58 , Kieran Jackson

“Yesterday was a shock for us. This is where we expected to be. Our goal over the winter was to have a car to build upon.

“We spent 3/4 of the year last year fixing problems. Now we have a car which feels nice to drive - we can just focus on downforce and performance. Definitely signs to be positive - but the stopwatch doesn’t lie we have a lot to improve.

“We’ve got a fight on our hands for P3; I’m relatively pleased to be not so far behind Ferrari and Alonso. He’s a dark horse, he had some really good racepace, a good fight for P3 - just a shame the Red Bulls are a bit too far ahead.”

F1 qualifying - Bahrain Grand Prix: Aston Martin team principal Mike Krack, speaking to Sky...

16:52 , Kieran Jackson

“We didn’t do so much analysis of the others, we tried to do as good a job as we can. We are happy with what we achieved, the target was to do a step. We’ve made a substantial step.

“We went a bit safer in Q2, not trying to experiment anything, but it was the same for the Mercedes. We’re happy with where we went.

“I think we can be very strong in the race. I’m quite sure we will be.”

F1 qualifying - Bahrain Grand Prix: Lewis Hamilton...

16:44 , Kieran Jackson

“I went in with an open mind. The fact we’re getting into Q3 was great, a lot of great work happened overnight.

“We made a step forward today. Different place. In qualifying the car didn’t feel alive, felt average, I hope the direction I go tomorrow is better for the race.

“We were six-tenths behind last year, it’s not an impossible mountain to climb. We’ve got to really focus and push like we did before.”

F1 qualifying - Bahrain Grand Prix: Mercedes boss Toto Wolff, speaking to Sky...

16:36 , Kieran Jackson

“The gap is not ridiculous considering we only ran one tyre, but it’s not where we want to be. If we compare one tyre against one tyre, it’s around four-tenths. That’s the gap and this is what we need to find and more.

“They both didn’t have clean laps but it wouldn’t have changed much, maybe have overtaken Alonso.

“We are super critcial in what we want to achieve. We just need to get our heads together, comapred to Alonso he has another four years on Lewis. Even if I need to push him around the track to get the eighth [title] we will do it.”

F1 qualifying - Bahrain Grand Prix - VERSTAPPEN ON POLE

16:30 , Kieran Jackson

Nico Rosberg, speaking to Sky, on Ferrari’s decision not to run Leclerc for a second time: “It’s a very odd one, I hope it’s not the continuation of Ferrari’s strategy difficulties.

“I hope it proves to be a smart call.”

F1 qualifying - Bahrain Grand Prix: Max Verstappen...

16:18 , Kieran Jackson

“Compared to last year, people know more what they are doing with the car and everyone starts off more comeptitive. Throughout the year, everyone increases their performance - that’s the beautiful thing about Formula 1.”

“I was positively surprised about being on pole after the struggles in practice.”

F1 qualifying - Bahrain Grand Prix: Charles Leclerc...

16:15 , Kieran Jackson

There wasn’t any issue. I think we were in the fight for pole, we managed to find the pace. However, we need to keep in mind that in the race run we are slower than Red Bull.

“I’d rather start P3 with new tyres than P1 with older tyres.

“We are much closer than what we expected, I’m looking forward to the race. Having a new tyre will help us tomorrow, it’s going in the right direction.”

F1 qualifying - Bahrain Grand Prix: Verstappen on pole!

16:13 , Kieran Jackson

We are hearing that there was nothing wrong with Charles Leclerc’s car!

Were they saving a pair of soft tyres for the race tomorrow? Will Leclerc start on softs from P3? Quite possibly!

Still seems like a shame we didn’t see the big finale we wanted between last year’s rivals...

F1 qualifying - Bahrain Grand Prix: Q3 DONE!

16:11 , Kieran Jackson

It’s a Red Bull one-two - Max Verstappen on pole, with Sergio Perez in second!

Ferrari in three and four: Leclerc 3rd, Sainz 4th.

5-10: Alonso, Russell, Hamilton, Stroll, Ocon, Hulkenberg

The 2022 champions picking up where they left off!

F1 qualifying - Bahrain Grand Prix: 2:00 LEFT IN Q3...

16:08 , Kieran Jackson

Alonso goes P4, with Russell in P5 and Hamilton in P7!

And Charles Leclerc is out the car for Ferrari! There must be a mechanical problem for Leclerc’s car! He won’t set another time!

Momentum with Red Bull now - only really Carlos Sainz on new softs can beat Verstappen now!

Current 1-10: Verstappen, Leclerc, Perez, Alonso, Russell, Sainz, Hamilton, Stroll, Hulkenberg, Ocon

F1 qualifying - Bahrain Grand Prix: 6:00 LEFT IN Q3...

16:04 , Kieran Jackson

Wow - Max Verstappen goes fastest with a rapid lap into the 1:29s. Charles Leclerc in second - 1:30 dead - with Perez third and Sainz fourth.

Stroll fifth for Aston Martin - on a used set of tyres.

Now time for the Mercedes drivers and Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso to have a go!

F1 qualifying - Bahrain Grand Prix: 9:00 LEFT IN Q3...

15:59 , Kieran Jackson

The cars are now out on track for their first runs: only Red Bull and Ferrari have both drivers with two pairs of soft tyres to use in this session, so the Mercedes and Aston Martin boys will have to get it done with just one pair of new soft tyres!

Should be an enthralling finale!

F1 qualifying - Bahrain Grand Prix: Q3 IS UNDERWAY!

15:57 , Kieran Jackson

So the drivers in the top-10 shootout: Leclerc, Sainz, Verstappen, Perez, Russell, Hamilton, Alonso, Stroll, Hulkenberg, Ocon

Who will be on pole position for the Bahrain Grand Prix?!

F1 qualifying - Bahrain Grand Prix: Q2 DONE!

15:51 , Kieran Jackson

Lando Norris out of qualifying - Lance Stroll pushes him out right at the end!

It’ll P11 for the McLaren. Charles Leclerc goes fastest, with Verstappen two-tenths off and Russell in third. Lewis Hamilton in fourth.

11-15, and out: Norris, Bottas, Zhou, Tsunoda, Albon (no time)

Bring on Q3!

F1 qualifying - Bahrain Grand Prix: 4:00 LEFT IN Q2...

15:46 , Kieran Jackson

Alex Albon, only car out on track, has to abort his lap early on due to exceeding track limits - he’s yet to set a time in Q2.

As for Lance Stroll - currently P12 - his Aston engineers are having to roll him back to the pits from inside the pit lane.

The Canadian needs to pump out a quick time here if he wants to make it to Q3!

As for his team-mate, how about this for a view?!

F1 qualifying - Bahrain Grand Prix: 7:00 LEFT IN Q2...

15:44 , Kieran Jackson

It’s Red Bull one-two at the top after the first runs - Max Verstappen on top with a 1:30:503, with Sergio Perez two-tenths down.

It’s then Mercedes three and four - Lewis Hamilton in third, three-tenths off Verstappen - with Ferrari six and sevenn Charles Leclerc P6. Fernando Alonso the man in between Mercedes and Ferrari, in P5.

Currently out (11-15): Zhou, Stroll, Ocon, Tsunoda, Albon

Lando Norris, precariously, in P10 - less than a tenth ahead of Zhou!

F1 qualifying - Bahrain Grand Prix: Q2 IS UNDERWAY...

15:36 , Kieran Jackson

Q2 begins in Bahrain! 15 minutes - who will make the top-10 shootout?!

Bit of news about the guys who exited in Q1. Pierre Gasly’s lap-time has been deleted - and he will start tomorrow in P20!

Tell you what: the gap in Q1 from Sainz to De Vries (previously in P20) was only 1.128 seconds. That’s so tight!

F1 qualifying - Bahrain Grand Prix: Q1 DONE!

15:29 , Kieran Jackson

Lando Norris sneaks into Q2 - in P15! He sets the exact same time as Logan Sargeant in P16 but due to setting the time first, the McLaren is through! Not so lucky for his team-mate though, Oscar Piastri is only P19!

Out of Q1 (16-20): Sargeant, Gasly, Magnussen, Piastri, De Vries

Nightmare for Alpine’s Pierre Gasly. Alex Albon an impressive ninth for Williams; Lewis Hamilton down in 13th!

1-3: Sainz, Russell, Leclerc

F1 qualifying - Bahrain Grand Prix: 2:00 LEFT IN Q1....

15:24 , Kieran Jackson

Every driver - apart from table-topper Carlos Sainz - is out on track.

A reminder, curent bottom-five (16-20): Hulkenberg, Norris, Piastri, Sargeant, Stroll

F1 qualifying - Bahrain Grand Prix: 4:00 LEFT IN Q1...

15:23 , Kieran Jackson

McLaren CEO Zak Brown, spealing to Sky: “We went out on what a new set of softs, so we had a used set then. Tyres didn’t come in. Pressure on the two guys with a new set of rubber.”

Pressure on Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, currently running in P16 and P17...

F1 qualifying - Bahrain Grand Prix: 8:00 LEFT IN Q1...

15:20 , Kieran Jackson

Fascinating make-up at the top - Sainz is currently in P1 with a 1:30:993, while Russell is P2 - 0.064 seconds behind!

3-7: Leclerc, Alonso, Verstappen, Perez, Hamilton

Problems for the other Aston Martin driver Lance Stroll - he’s had his lap time DELETED for exceeding track limits. He’ll only have one more chance to get into Q2...

More important is the make-up at the bottom. Bottom-five (16-20): Hulkenberg, Norris, Piastri, Sargeant, Stroll (no time)

In danger, 12-15: Magnussen, Albon, De Vries, Gasly

F1 qualifying - Bahrain Grand Prix: Q1 BACK UNDERWAY!

15:15 , Kieran Jackson

Huge queue at the end of the pitlane with all the drivers eager to get out and set at least two push laps!

Carlos Sainz’s time, second on the grid, has been deleted due to exceeding track limits. Not a good start for both Ferrari boys!

All 20 cars on track... traffic problems incoming?!

F1 qualifying - Bahrain Grand Prix - Q1 TO RESUME!

15:10 , Kieran Jackson

We’ll be back underway in two minutes after that piece of carbon fibre was removed...

13:23 left...

F1 qualifying - Bahrain Grand Prix: RED FLAG!

15:08 , Kieran Jackson

Q1 comes to a halt with 13:23 left on the clock - red flag!

That piece of carbon fibre from Leclerc’s car is right on the racing line at the final corner, so the race director has brought a cautionary stoppage to the session.

A race marshall will come out and remove it - but not great for the likes of Verstappen, Perez and Norris out on track.

What does it mean for Charles Leclerc’s car too?!

F1 qualifying - Bahrain Grand Prix: James Blunt outside the Red Bull garage!

15:05 , Kieran Jackson

“You’re beautiful, it’s true...”

F1 qualifying - Bahrain Grand Prix: 14:00 LEFT IN Q1...

15:05 , Kieran Jackson

Interesting! Charles Leclerc - out on mediums in Q1 - has to abort his flying lap down the home straight after he loses a piece of carbon fibre from his car!

Not an ideal start for the Ferrari man...

Tsunoda, Sainz, De Vries the top-three after the first few minutes, as most of the cars come out on track...

F1 qualifying - Bahrain Grand Prix: Q1 UNDERWAY!

15:02 , Kieran Jackson

We’re underway with Q1 at the Bahrain International Circuit!

The two AlphaTauris - Yuki Tsunoda and Nyck de Vries - are the first cars out on track.

18 minutes this session - only the top-15 drivers make it through to Q2. So we’ll lose five drivers from qualifying...

Work for the likes of AlphaTauri, Williams, Alfa Romeo and McLaren to get out of this session...

F1 qualifying - Bahrain Grand Prix

14:58 , Kieran Jackson

This man has the most wins at the Bahrain International Circuit - five.

Where can Lewis Hamilton put his Mercedes on the grid ahead of tomorrow’s race?

F1 qualifying - Bahrain Grand Prix:

14:55 , Kieran Jackson

Can Fernando Alonso do the unthinkable and claim his 23rd pole in Formula 1, on debut for Aston Martin?!

Qualifying coming up!

F1 qualifying - Bahrain Grand Prix: 10 MINS AWAY...

14:50 , Kieran Jackson

We’re just 10 minutes from qualifying starting at the Bahrain International Circuit!

All eyes on Fernando Alonso - can he drive his Aston Martin to a shock pole?! Or will it Red Bull and Max Verstappen who start as they left off in 2022?

Watch out for Mercedes too after an improved session in FP3 earlier today!

F1 qualifying - Bahrain Grand Prix: Fernando Alonso fastest in final practice to lay down Bahrain Grand Prix marker

14:44 , Kieran Jackson

Fernando Alonso continued his and Aston Martin’s impressive form at the Bahrain Grand Prix as he edged out world champion Max Verstappen in final practice.

The 41-year-old double world champion, fastest in Sakhir on Friday, topped the time sheets again ahead of qualifying later on Saturday.

Alonso saw off world champion Verstappen by just 0.005 seconds with Sergio Perez a tenth back in the other Red Bull.

Lewis Hamilton finished fourth ahead of Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc and Mercedes’ George Russell.

On Friday, Hamilton said Mercedes were on the “wrong track” and had fallen further behind their rivals after a disappointing 2022.

But there will be some encouragement for the seven-time world champion and his team after he finished just two tenths back. Russell was 0.391 sec adrift.

Fernando Alonso fastest in final practice to lay down Bahrain Grand Prix marker

F1 qualifying - Bahrain Grand Prix

14:35 , Kieran Jackson

Here’s a lowdown of the FP3 laps - side-by-side - between Fernando Alonso and Max Verstappen, with just 0.005 seconds splitting the teams.

F1 qualifying - Bahrain Grand Prix: Lewis Hamilton is in the shape of his life – but will it all be in vain?

14:29 , Kieran Jackson

By Kieran Jackson

Did you spot it? That little glimpse of time.

A snippet when Lewis Hamilton was hopeful, maybe even anticipative that his fate – number eight – could be conquered in 2023. A new all-black livery unveiled, eliciting rosy memories preceding last year’s horror-show, and a fresh start after a hopeless, winless season to forget.

That was before Hamilton squeezed himself in to the Mercedes W14 car for the first time at Silverstone on launch day in February. A simple shakedown. But straight away, hope faded.

“I knew from the moment I drove the car where we were and the challenges we were facing,” Hamilton stated – with an honesty like a dagger to his 2023 title hopes – on Thursday in Bahrain.

And that was it. Three months since he retired late on in Abu Dhabi, the final race of 2022. Three months of focus away from the track. Three months of hard yards. Three months… all for another year of nothingness?

That’s the prospect heading into this season. Throughout the winter, Hamilton chronicled his off-season in fleeting social media posts, much to the delight of a joyous fanbase starved of such content a year earlier, during Hamilton’s social media abyss post-Abu Dhabi 2021.

Lewis Hamilton is in the shape of his life – but will it all be in vain?

F1 qualifying - Bahrain Grand Prix

14:17 , Kieran Jackson

Martin Brundle, speaking to Sky: “I’m much more excited then I was a week ago at testing when the Red Bull looked on rails.

“The thought of Alonso up there with Verstappen and Hamilton and the new boy band, very excited about that.

“Lance did put some moves on his team-mate Vettel, but Fernando will have him on the hedge if he does that! Fernando looks as strong as ever...”

14:10 , Kieran Jackson

Big crash in the F3 sprint race this morning!

F1 qualifying - Bahrain Grand Prix: ODDS!

14:06 , Kieran Jackson

Betfair - F1 Bahrain GP Qualifying WInner

Max Verstappen - 1/1

Fernando Alonso - 7/2

Sergio Perez - 7/1

Charles Leclerc - 8/1

Lewis Hamilton - 25/1

Calros Sainz - 33/1

Lance Stroll - 39/1

George Russell - 74/1

Betfair - F1 Bahrain GP Winner

Max Verstappen - 8/11

Fernando Alonso - 9/2

Sergio Perez - 6/1

Charles Leclerc - 8/1

Lewis Hamilton, Carlos Sainz - 16/1

George Russell - 19/1

Odds provided by Betfair

F1 qualifying - Bahrain Grand Prix: F1 Fantasy: How to play and top tips ahead of 2023 season

13:58 , Kieran Jackson

The new Formula 1 season is here - and that means F1 Fantasy is back!

The game will see millions of motor sport fans pick their fantasy selection of drivers for an imaginary $100m budget.

F1 Fantasy began five years ago and it has grown rapidly in popularity, in line with F1’s rise in popularity. The 2023 season will reward those players who are able to spot the early trends as the new season takes shape.

See below for all the rules and top tips ahead of Saturday’s deadline of qualifying at the Bahrain GP:

F1 Fantasy: How to play and top tips ahead of 2023 season

F1 qualifying - Bahrain Grand Prix: What makes Drive to Survive star Guenther Steiner tick?

13:44 , Kieran Jackson

Exclusive interview by Kieran Jackson

When Netflix first premiered Drive to Survive in 2019, an attempt by Formula 1’s new owners Liberty to broaden the sport’s murky horizon, the onus was on your Hamiltons, your Vettels and your Verstappens to haul in that untapped audience. Like any serial drama, you need a protagonist. But there can only be one star of the show.

Little did people think it’d be Guenther Steiner.

“It’s all about the underdog story,” the 57-year-old tells The Independent, when asked why the Haas-centred episodes have the viewers at peak excitement upon the release of each show. A show, he is eager to add, he does not watch.

More below:

Guenther Steiner interview: What makes star of Drive to Survive tick?

F1 qualifying - Bahrain Grand Prix: Lewis Hamilton says Mercedes on ‘wrong track’ on eve of new F1 season

13:29 , Kieran Jackson

A disheartened Lewis Hamilton said Mercedes are on the “wrong track” and fears he has fallen further behind in his quest to take a record eighth world crown.

Off the back of his worst campaign in Formula One, Hamilton, 38, will have been desperate to revive former glories – starting at this weekend’s season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix.

But in his under-performing Mercedes machinery, Hamilton finished eighth in practice on Friday – six tenths behind Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso – who ended the day as the surprise pace setter. Max Verstappen was next, 0.169 seconds behind.

Mercedes might have solved their porpoising woes, but they still have an unruly car, with Hamilton’s team-mate George Russell even further back in 13th, one second slower than Alonso.

And moments after stepping out of his cockpit, Hamilton delivered a damning verdict. “We found out we are a long way off,” he said. “We knew that a little bit from last week’s test but it is a big gap. We are either where we were last year, if not, a little bit further behind.”

Lewis Hamilton says Mercedes on ‘wrong track’ on eve of new F1 season

F1 qualifying - Bahrain Grand Prix: F1 2023 season predictions - World champion, surprise star, best race and more

13:14 , Kieran Jackson

The 2023 F1 season gets underway this weekend with the Bahrain Grand Prix the first of a record 23 races this year.

Max Verstappen is the favourite after his runaway success last year, while both Ferrari and Mercedes will be hoping to haul in the hefty deficit to Red Bull in 2023.

There are three rookies this year – in Oscar Piastri, Nyck de Vries and Logan Sargeant – as well as a new race in Las Vegas, the penultimate meet of the season which ends in Abu Dhabi on 26 November.

Here are some season predictions from Formula 1 Correspondent Kieran Jackson - do you agree?

F1 2023 season predictions: World champion, surprise star, best race and more

F1 qualifying - Bahrain Grand Prix: Nico Rosberg, speaking to Sky...

12:57 , Kieran Jackson

“I thought Mercedes made progress there. Lewis is driving better than George, I think they’ve made a step forward.

“It’s not a good sign when you change something so fundamental like the rear wing. They’ve found some progress. But it’s so hot right now, it’ll be a different setup to later. Different car mechanics - we need to see how they get on now.”

F1 qualifying - Bahrain Grand Prix: Nico Rosberg, speaking to Sky...

12:52 , Kieran Jackson

“What a story. Fernando Alonso, 41 years old, in an Aston Martin, car that was nowhere last year, fighting at the front.

“It wasn’t a perfect lap for Max. Alonso has had a fantastic preparation and he’s absolutely on it. The car is beautiful out there, like it’s on rails. He’s gettting the maximum out of it...”

F1 qualifying - Bahrain Grand Prix: FP3 LEADERBOARD!

12:44 , Kieran Jackson

1) Alonso 2) Verstappen 3) Perez

4) Hamilton 5) Leclerc 6) Russell

7) Stroll 8) Sainz 9) Piastri

10) Gasly 11) Ocon 12) Zhou

13) Norris 14) Magnussen 15) Hulkenberg

16) Tsunoda 17) Bottas 18) Sargeant

19) Albon 20) De Vries

F1 qualifying - Bahrain Grand Prix: Lewis Hamilton not happy...

12:37 , Kieran Jackson

Hamilton left his garage right at the end of the session to get some practice starts on the grid... but he’s too late as the pit exit shows red!

Hamilton not impressed: “Come on guys, that’s twice!”

F1 qualifying - Bahrain Grand Prix: FP3 DONE!

12:31 , Kieran Jackson

We’re done with FP3 - and with the Ferraris completing their final quali-esque laps, we might well have a hell of a qualifying session!

Fernando Alonso is in P1 for Aston Martin - 0.005 seconds ahead of Max Verstaappen!

Sergio Perez is in third, a tenth down on Alonso, with Lewis Hamilton in fourth - 0.215 seconds behind Alonso.

5-10: Leclerc, Russell, Stroll, Sainz, Piastri, Gasly

Aston Martin right in the mix!

F1 qualifying - Bahrain Grand Prix: 5:00 LEFT IN FP3...

12:25 , Kieran Jackson

Fernando Alonso goes top and faster than Max Verstappen... by 0.005 seconds! WOW!

Alonso upon being told he’s in P1: “Oh really? Great!”

3-10: Hamilton, Russell, Stroll, Piastri, Ocon, Zhou, Norris, Hulkenberg

Sergio Perez now readying himself for his final qualifying simulation...

F1 qualifying - Bahrain Grand Prix: 10:00 LEFT IN FP3...

12:21 , Kieran Jackson

Lewis Hamilton goes quickest - and George Russell is in second! Hope for Merceds. 0.176 seconds splits the pair, with Hamilton three-tenths ahead of Lance Stroll.

4-10: Alonso, Zhou, Sainz, Leclerc, Bottas, Sargeant, Verstappen (H)

But Verstappen and Alonso are out on track, on softs...

F1 qualifying - Bahrain Grand Prix: 15:00 LEFT IN FP3...

12:16 , Kieran Jackson

Here we go then, some final qualifying runs... and Lance Stroll goes fastest with a 1:32:919! It’s an Aston Martin one-two at the moment!

Zhou Guanyu, for Alfa Romeo, a surprise name in third now - two-tenths off Stroll.

Red Bull, meanwhile, seem quite happy not to set a quali-esque lap on soft tyres in this session. Perhaps saving some for later, and the race.

1-10: Stroll, Alonso, Zhou, Hamilton, Sainz, Leclerc, Verstappen (H), Ocon, Bottas, Albon

15 to go in FP3...

F1 qualifying - Bahrain Grand Prix

12:08 , Kieran Jackson

Rosberg is back in the commentary box for Sky Sports this year - and he takes us round the Bahrain International Circuit on board with Fernando Alonso’s table-topping lap!

F1 qualifying - Bahrain Grand Prix: 30:00 LEFT IN FP3...

11:59 , Kieran Jackson

Fernando Alonso goes quickest - three-tenths quicker than Lewis Hamilton in second!

However, what is perhaps of more interest is Max Verstappen is five-tenths off, in fifth, but on HARD tyres!

That’s some serious pace from the world champion.

After half-an-hour, 1-10: Alonso, Hamilton, Sainz, Leclerc, Verstappen (H), Oco, Bottas, Albon, Perez (H), Piastri

F1 qualifying - Bahrain Grand Prix: 45:00 LEFT IN FP3...

11:50 , Kieran Jackson

Only eight cars out on track so far - but still interesting up top!

Lewis Hamilton is fastest on softs, just 0.015 seconds ahead of Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz, with Charles Leclerc in third.

George Russell in fourth, five-tenths down on Hamilton. Lance Stroll in fifth, Lando Norris in sixth. Stroll - by the way - looks to have no restrictions with his wrist on turn 1 today, after complaining about it yesterday...

Now time for the Red Bulls to get involved!

F1 qualifying - Bahrain Grand Prix: FP3 is underway!

11:33 , Kieran Jackson

One more hour for the drivers and teams to get their setups right ahead of qualifying...

Not representative conditions for qualifying or the race - with the sun beating down over the Bahrain International Circuit - but still important!

Lando Norris the first car out on track...

F1 qualifying - Bahrain Grand Prix: 5 MINS AWAY FROM FP3...

11:25 , Kieran Jackson

We’re five minutes away from the final practice session of the weekend before it starts getting serious in 2023!

Can Fernando Alonso match his brilliant performance in second practice yesterday? Will Red Bull respond? And how about Mercedes - can they make an impact at the top of the timesheets?

F1 qualifying - Bahrain Grand Prix: Nico Rosberg...

11:21 , Kieran Jackson

2016 world champion Rosberg, speaking to Sky, on Mercedes: “For Mercedes it’s been more difficult than they were hoping. A lot of difficulties - not the right balance, lack of pace.

“Lewis questioning the whole concept of the car. But let’s not write them off.”

On Alonso and Aston Martin:

“It’s looking incredible the job they’ve done over the winter. They’re improved the most, almost a second. So interesting - also because of the driver they’ve got in the car. The gladiator behind the wheel.”

F1 qualifying - Bahrain Grand Prix: Lewis Hamilton says Mercedes on ‘wrong track’ on eve of new F1 season

10:59 , Kieran Jackson

A disheartened Lewis Hamilton said Mercedes are on the “wrong track” and fears he has fallen further behind in his quest to take a record eighth world crown.

Off the back of his worst campaign in Formula One, Hamilton, 38, will have been desperate to revive former glories – starting at this weekend’s season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix.

But in his under-performing Mercedes machinery, Hamilton finished eighth in practice on Friday – six tenths behind Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso – who ended the day as the surprise pace setter. Max Verstappen was next, 0.169 seconds behind.

Mercedes might have solved their porpoising woes, but they still have an unruly car, with Hamilton’s team-mate George Russell even further back in 13th, one second slower than Alonso.

And moments after stepping out of his cockpit, Hamilton delivered a damning verdict. “We found out we are a long way off,” he said. “We knew that a little bit from last week’s test but it is a big gap. We are either where we were last year, if not, a little bit further behind.”

Lewis Hamilton says Mercedes on ‘wrong track’ on eve of new F1 season

F1 qualifying - Bahrain Grand Prix: F1 2023 season predictions - World champion, surprise star, best race and more

10:44 , Kieran Jackson

The 2023 F1 season gets underway this weekend with the Bahrain Grand Prix the first of a record 23 races this year.

Max Verstappen is the favourite after his runaway success last year, while both Ferrari and Mercedes will be hoping to haul in the hefty deficit to Red Bull in 2023.

There are three rookies this year – in Oscar Piastri, Nyck de Vries and Logan Sargeant – as well as a new race in Las Vegas, the penultimate meet of the season which ends in Abu Dhabi on 26 November.

Here are some season predictions from Formula 1 Correspondent Kieran Jackson - do you agree?

F1 2023 season predictions: World champion, surprise star, best race and more

F1 qualifying - Bahrain Grand Prix: What makes Drive to Survive star Guenther Steiner tick?

10:29 , Kieran Jackson

Exclusive interview by Kieran Jackson

When Netflix first premiered Drive to Survive in 2019, an attempt by Formula 1’s new owners Liberty to broaden the sport’s murky horizon, the onus was on your Hamiltons, your Vettels and your Verstappens to haul in that untapped audience. Like any serial drama, you need a protagonist. But there can only be one star of the show.

Little did people think it’d be Guenther Steiner.

“It’s all about the underdog story,” the 57-year-old tells The Independent, when asked why the Haas-centred episodes have the viewers at peak excitement upon the release of each show. A show, he is eager to add, he does not watch.

More below:

Guenther Steiner interview: What makes star of Drive to Survive tick?

F1 qualifying - Bahrain Grand Prix: F1 Fantasy: How to play and top tips ahead of 2023 season

10:25 , Kieran Jackson

The new Formula 1 season is here - and that means F1 Fantasy is back!

The game will see millions of motor sport fans pick their fantasy selection of drivers for an imaginary $100m budget.

F1 Fantasy began five years ago and it has grown rapidly in popularity, in line with F1’s rise in popularity. The 2023 season will reward those players who are able to spot the early trends as the new season takes shape.

See below for all the rules and top tips ahead of Saturday’s deadline of qualifying at the Bahrain GP:

F1 Fantasy: How to play and top tips ahead of 2023 season

F1 qualifying - Bahrain Grand Prix: Fernando Alonso stuns with quickest time in second practice at Bahrain Grand Prix

10:23 , Kieran Jackson

Fernando Alonso raised the prospect of delivering a shock win at Formula One’s opening race of the season after he set the fastest time in practice at the Bahrain Grand Prix.

Max Verstappen and Red Bull had been tipped as the team to beat heading into the new campaign but Alonso, the 41-year-old double world champion on his debut for Aston Martin, stunned the Sakhir paddock by topping the time sheets.

Alonso finished 0.169 seconds clear of Verstappen, who ended the one-hour running just two thousandths clear of Sergio Perez in the other Red Bull.

Lewis Hamilton was only eighth as his fears that his Mercedes machine will not allow him to fight for victory played out under the thousands of bulbs that light up the Sakhir Circuit. George Russell was even worse off – finishing 13th of 20 in the black-liveried Mercedes.

Lawrence Stroll, Aston Martin’s billionaire owner, set his side the target of winning the world championship in an ambitious five-year project.

But after two underwhelming seasons back on the Formula One grid – finishing seventh of the grid’s 10 teams in both 2021 and 2022 – Aston Martin have suddenly created a machine to fight at the sharp end.

Fernando Alonso stuns with quickest time in second practice at Bahrain Grand Prix

F1 qualifying - Bahrain Grand Prix: Good morning!

10:20 , Kieran Jackson

Welcome to The Independent’s live coverage of the first qualifying session of the 2023 F1 season!

And what a session it could well be, given Fernando Alonso’s rapid table-topping time in practice yesterday, beating both Red Bulls in his Aston Martin in FP2!

The Ferraris also look quick, while it could well prove to be a troublesome session for Mercedes - who look off the pace. Still, you never know!

Third practice starts at 11:30am (GMT), with qualifying at 3pm - and you can follow live updates right here with us!