Verstappen leads Red Bull front-row lock-out for F1 Bahrain GP 2023

Verstappen leads Red Bull front-row lock-out for F1 Bahrain GP 2023

Max Verstappen led Red Bull Racing teammate Sergio Perez to a front-row lock-out for Sunday’s highly anticipated Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix 2023—the first round of this year’s FIA F1 World Championship.

Verstappen blitzed to a sensational pole after steering his RB19 challenger to a quickest lap time of one minute 29.708 in the top 10 shootout of qualifying, held under lights in front of a massive Saturday night crowd at Bahrain International Circuit (BIC).

Verstappen’s time was almost a second quicker than Charles Leclerc’s pole-setting mark in Sakhir from last year of 1:30.558 for Ferrari.

“Very happy to be on pole, having such a strong car with Checo up there as well, it’s amazing and I’m looking forward to tomorrow as well,” said the Dutchman.

Verstappen was 0.138 seconds quicker than Perez, while set to start behind them on row two are the tandem of Leclerc and Carlos Sainz. Leclerc’s best lap in the Q3 shootout was 0.292s slower than Verstappen’s, while Sainz was 0.446s off the pace.

Two-time world champion and three-time winner in Bahrain Fernando Alonso could not translate his leading pace in today’s practice into pole position, but still impressed by securing fifth on the grid in his first grand prix weekend with Aston Martin. He was 0.628s back.