Max Verstappen takes pole for Bahrain Grand Prix

SPORTSAREENA.comMarch 9, 2023

35 3 minutes read

Max Verstappen mentioned it was a “pleasant surprise” to assert pole place as Red Bull locked out the entrance row of the grid for Sunday’s season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix.

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The 25-year-old Dutchman, who has by no means gained in Bahrain or at a championship-opening race, secured the twenty first pole place of his profession with a blinding pair of laps within the third and ultimate qualifying session (Q3) after battling steadiness and type in apply.

“It’s positive and very surprising,” mentioned Verstappen.

“A nice and constructive shock to be on pole after all of the struggles in apply. Our race automobile feels higher.

“It’s been a little bit of a tricky begin to the weekend, not discovering my rhythm, however in qualifying we managed to place the perfect items collectively and I’m very comfortable to be on pole.

“It’s amazing. Now, I’m looking forward for tomorrow. Compared to last year everyone knows a bit more about what they are doing with the car and increasing their performances a lot.”

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It was Red Bull’s first entrance row lockout in Bahrain, a monitor the place they haven’t gained since 2013, when the recently-retired Sebastian Vettel was triumphant on his solution to his fourth title.

Last yr’s pole-sitter and race winner Charles Leclerc was third for Ferrari forward of team-mate Carlos Sainz, the Monegasque driver selecting to save lots of a set of tyres fairly than make a second ultimate flying run.

Two-time champion world Fernando Alonso, who was quickest in second and third apply, was unable to repeat that type, however took fifth on the grid for Aston Martin in his first outing for the group since shifting from Alpine to exchange Vettel.

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The 41-year-old Spaniard, who had crushed Verstappen to high the occasions in ultimate apply earlier on Saturday, mentioned he had all the time felt pole place was an unrealistic ambition for Aston Martin.

“We aimed to finish in the top five or six and we did that so it’s good,” he mentioned.

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Leclerc mentioned: “I feel we had been within the struggle for pole, which was a superb shock to be trustworthy. I didn’t anticipate that after testing and after the three practices which had been just a little bit troublesome.

“We managed to seek out the tempo, however to not Red Bull and I feel we’re higher beginning third with new tyres than additional up with previous.

“It was very close. Aston Martin are very quick, Mercedes are very quick. It is looking good for the future and makes Formula 1 much more exciting.”

‘Did a great job’

The Mercedes of George Russell and seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton had been sixth and seventh forward of Lance Stroll within the second Aston Martin, Esteban Ocon of Alpine and Haas’s Nico Hulkenberg.

“I thought we’d be a lot further behind so reaching Q3 is great and we did a lot of work overnight,” mentioned Hamilton.

“The engineers did an excellent job and made a step ahead. We’re in a special place, however in qualifying the automobile simply didn’t really feel alive. It felt actually common.

“It is not an impossible mountain to climb and I think we can definitely close the gap. We’ve just got to focus.”

Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez. Photo: Twitter @RedBullRacing