Verstappen starts away

Verstappen starts away

Max Verstappen made the decision during the Bahrain Grand Prix qualifying session. The double world champion will be accompanied by his teammate Sergio Pérez on the front row. Charles Leclerc had to settle for third place.

Max Verstappen and Red Bull Racing have unveiled their cards. After three days of pre-season testing a week ago and three free practice sessions this weekend, the first qualifying session of the 2023 Formula 1 season revealed more about the forces in presence. Double reigning world champion, Max Verstappen gave the full potential of his RB19 to seek pole position. If he had settled at the forefront in Q3, Charles Leclerc did not return to the track to try his luck again. Convinced that his SF-23 did not have the potential to take pole position before the session, the Monegasque admitted defeat. Improving in his last attempt, Max Verstappen went for the 21st pole position of his career with a best lap of 1:29.708. From the Ferrari stand, Charles Leclerc saw Sergio Pérez snatch a place on the front row out of his hands. The Mexican closed 138 thousandths behind his leader but was never able to challenge him for pole position. Behind a 100% Red Bull Racing front row, the two Ferrari drivers will take place on the second row. While Charles Leclerc conceded 292 thousandths to the Dutchman, Carlos Sainz Jr is almost half a second behind.

Alonso and Aston Martin have not confirmed

The unknown factor in this first qualifying session of the season remained Aston Martin’s level of performance. While Fernando Alonso dominated the second and then the third free practice session, the single-seaters of the British team fell into line. Indeed, the Asturian could not do better than the fifth time to six tenths of a second from Max Verstappen. Lance Stroll, for his part, was able to ignore the difficulties linked to the fracture of a wrist suffered two weeks earlier to reach Q3 and climb to eighth place on the starting grid. Mercedes, for its part, has confirmed that it is having a hard time at the start of the season with its W14. George Russell will be alongside Fernando Alonso on the third row, having failed four thousandths behind the Spaniard. The Briton is immediately followed by his seven-time world champion teammate. Pessimistic this Friday after the first free practice, Lewis Hamilton gave everything without managing to do better than seventh place, almost seven tenths behind Max Verstappen. Esteban Ocon, meanwhile, managed to save Alpine’s honor with the ninth time but more than a second from pole position, ahead of a Nico Hulkenberg who did not set a time in the last part. of this session.

Gasly, a first to forget

If Esteban Ocon responded, it was grimace soup on the other side of the Alpine garage. AlphaTauri defector this winter to replace Fernando Alonso, the native of Rouen had a more than complicated Q1. Not in the right rhythm, the winner of the 2020 Italian Grand Prix finished in 17th place, behind rookie Logan Sargeant. However, for failing to respect the track limits on his fastest lap, Pierre Gasly saw his time erased by the FIA ​​stewards. The consequence is direct: the Frenchman will have to start from 20th and last position on the starting grid this Sunday and will have to work his way up the hierarchy at the wheel of his A523. A last line that he will share with the one who recovered his seat near Faenza, Nyck de Vries. At the wheel of a single-seater clearly below the competition, the Dutchman could not do better than 19th place. Also participating in his first qualifying session in F1, Oscar Piastri did not go further than Q1 with the 18th time. His teammate Lando Norris confirmed McLaren’s difficulties, not making the cut in Q2. The Red Bull Racing-Ferrari match is on… but nothing says it will be balanced.

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