The current Formula 1 champion, Max Verstappen, secured the pole position for the opening race of the 2024 season in Bahrain, with Charles Leclerc from Ferrari as his closest competitor.
Key moments:
Verstappen had already secured provisional pole position after his first lap in Q3, even though he didn’t improve his time from Q2. This meant there was still room for improvement in his final qualifying attempt.
And indeed, Verstappen managed to lower the benchmark time to 1m29.179s, although this was slightly slower than Leclerc’s fastest lap in Q2.
However, Leclerc couldn’t match that lap time, with his two attempts in Q3 ending in the range of 1m29.4s. Nevertheless, those laps were good enough to secure second place on the grid.
Mercedes driver George Russell secured a place on the second row for the Silver Arrows, while Carlos Sainz ensured there were two Ferraris among the top four, just a tenth behind Leclerc.
The gap between Verstappen and his teammate Sergio Perez fluctuated throughout qualifying, but in the end Perez could only manage fifth place, three and a half tenths behind Verstappen. This was a disappointment considering that Red Bull had secured a front-row lockout for this race last year.
Fernando Alonso and Aston Martin took a different approach in Q3, opting to complete only one flying lap on an empty track during the session. They ended up in sixth place, just 0.005s behind Perez.
Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri formed the fourth row for McLaren.
It was a disappointing performance for Lewis Hamilton, who had topped the timesheets in Friday’s practice session. He could only manage ninth place in the Mercedes, although he was less than a quarter of a second behind his teammate Russell.
Nico Hulkenberg surprised many by securing a place in Q3 with Haas, a team expected to struggle at the start of the season. However, Hulkenberg didn’t use new tires in Q2, so he had to settle for 10th place.
Yuki Tsunoda and Daniel Ricciardo, both driving the RB VCARB 01, failed to reach Q3.
Tsunoda came incredibly close to surpassing Piastri for the final spot in Q3, missing out by just 0.007s. Tsunoda outperformed his more experienced teammate Ricciardo in all the practice sessions leading up to qualifying.
Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll, who was four tenths behind Alonso in Q2, and Williams’ Alex Albon filled the gap between Tsunoda in 11th place and Ricciardo in 14th place.
Kevin Magnussen managed to improve his time in Q1, avoiding elimination in the first segment of qualifying. However, he couldn’t make further progress in Q2 and ended up nearly seven tenths behind Hulkenberg, completing the order of Q2.
The two Saubers were the fastest drivers to be eliminated in Q1, with Valtteri Bottas narrowly ahead of his teammate Zhou Guanyu.
Zhou was ahead of Bottas before their final laps, but a mistake in the last corner cost him valuable time. This left Zhou disappointed as he couldn’t improve his lap time.
Williams driver Logan Sargeant suffered another defeat to his teammate Alex Albon in qualifying, with nearly four tenths separating them. This result meant Sargeant was eliminated in Q1.
Despite his disappointment, Sargeant still managed to finish ahead of both Alpines, as the French team’s difficult start to the 2024 season continued. Esteban Ocon could only offer a message of reassurance to his team, stating that it was only the first round. Pierre Gasly, on the other hand, lamented a rushed out lap that contributed to his 20th position, one and a half tenths behind Ocon and over a second behind Sainz’s Q1 time.
© 2024
Football star Cristiano Ronaldo is preparing for another successful season. After a spell at Manchester United, the player is back at Real Madrid, where he achieved great prominence in his career. With his incredible skill and talent, Ronaldo promises to bring many victories to the Spanish club.
Ronaldo, known for his speed and impeccable technique, is considered one of the best players in the world. His presence on the field is always impactful, and he is capable of scoring incredible goals. With his signing, Real Madrid hopes to conquer important titles and establish itself as one of the strongest teams in Europe.
In addition to his football ability, Ronaldo is also an example of determination and dedication. He gives his all in training and is always looking to improve his skills. His winning mentality is an inspiration for young players around the world.
Ronaldo’s return to Real Madrid is also great news for the club’s fans. His presence on the field brings contagious energy and promises great excitement during the games. The fans are eager to see the star in action again and celebrate his incredible plays.
With the season about to begin, Cristiano Ronaldo is ready to show his full potential and help Real Madrid achieve glory. His presence in the team will certainly make a difference, and fans are confident that he will bring many joys to the club. Now, it’s just a matter of waiting and cheering to see the superstar in action.
