Red Bull unloaded the sandbags from RB20, their number one car, while Verstappen secured his 33rd pole position in his career, equaling the records of legendary race drivers Jim Clark and Alain Prost.
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After an uneventful Q1, Q2 started with the drivers wasting no time and going straight to the track, with Haas and McLarens leading the way.
Kevin Magnussen set the first fast lap, but it was invalidated for exceeding track limits at Turn 7, while the drivers continued to set their times.
After the first round of laps, Verstappen issued a warning by setting the fastest time of all, surpassing second-placed Perez by over half a second. The Dutchman was on new tires and even faster than his own pole time in 2023, which was 1:29.708.
The top ten drivers were: Verstappen – Perez – Norris – Leclerc – Alonso – Hamilton – Sainz – Piastri – Russell – Lance Stroll.
The second round of laps began with five minutes remaining in Q2, with the entire field using new soft tires for one last attempt to qualify for Q3.
Leclerc showed his determination to challenge Verstappen by setting the fastest time of Q2, recording 1:29.165, 0.209s faster than the Red Bull driver. Sainz secured the third fastest time, 0.408s behind his teammate.
The second group of eliminated drivers was led by Yuki Tsunoda, who finished 11th fastest in VCARB 01, just 0.007s behind McLaren’s Piastri to qualify for Q3.
Stroll finished in 12th place, trailing Tsunoda by 0.071s and only 0.021s ahead of Alex Albon, who qualified 13th with his Williams for Saturday’s race.
Daniel Ricciardo claimed the 14th fastest time in the other Red Bull car, finishing 1.113s behind the leader. Magnussen, who will start 15th on the Bahrain Grand Prix grid, was 0.251s slower than Ricciardo.
Qualifying began at the Bahrain International Circuit under the bright lights, with a track temperature of 22 degrees Celsius and an ambient temperature of 18 degrees.
The Ferraris of Leclerc and Sainz, along with the Alpines of Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly, were the first cars on the track when Q1 began.
Leclerc and Sainz opted for medium tires, as did the Alpines, while the other 16 drivers watched from the pits.
Gasly’s initial lap was invalidated due to exceeding track limits at Turn 13, while Sainz set the fastest time, surpassing Leclerc by half a tenth of a second in second place, with Ocon in third.
Just over 12 minutes into the session, the remaining drivers took to the track to set their first qualifying times, all using soft tires.
After the first set of times were recorded and with five minutes remaining in Q1, the top 15 drivers were: Sainz – Verstappen – Norris – Alonso – Perez – Leclerc – Russell – Hulkenberg – Albon – Piastri – Logan Sargeant – Hamilton – Stroll – Tsunoda – Ricciardo.
While Sainz remained in the pits, all the drivers went for their second fast laps with less than four minutes on the clock. In the end, it was Sainz who led the way into Q2 with a lap time of 1:29.909.
Stroll was second fastest, trailing Sainz by 0.056 seconds, while Verstappen secured the third fastest time, 0.122 seconds behind the leader.
Sauber’s Valtteri Bottas was the first driver to miss out on the next phase, finishing 0.110 seconds behind Magnussen and ending up in 16th place. His teammate Zhou Guanyu finished in 17th place, just 0.001 seconds slower.
Sargeant, representing Williams, claimed the 18th fastest time, 0.861 seconds off the leader, while Ocon trailed behind in 19th place, 0.023 seconds behind the American driver.
Gasly, in the other Alpine, finished last and lamented a “disastrous” warm-up lap. He was over a second slower than the fastest time.
Surprisingly, only one second separated the 20 cars, highlighting the competitiveness of the grid.
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Soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo is returning to his former club, Manchester United. After 12 years playing for other teams, Ronaldo is coming back to the Red Devils with a two-year contract. The news has been received with great enthusiasm by the club’s fans and has made headlines in the football world.
Ronaldo, 36 years old, had a successful stint at Manchester United between 2003 and 2009. During that period, he won three Premier League titles, a Champions League, and a FIFA World Player of the Year award. His skill and talent were instrumental in the club’s success at that time.
Ronaldo’s signing is seen as a major boost for Manchester United, who are aiming to reclaim their place at the top of English football. With the arrival of the Portuguese star, the club hopes to strengthen their squad and increase their chances of winning titles.
In addition, Ronaldo’s return to Manchester United also brings commercial benefits. The player’s jersey is one of the best-selling in the world, and his presence at the club will certainly attract sponsors and increase fan interest.
Manchester United fans are eager to see Ronaldo back on the field, and expectations are high that he will continue to shine in the Red Devils’ shirt. His signing is a clear sign of ambition from the club and their determination to return to the top of English football.
