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Q3 LIVE | Verstappen will start from pole on Sunday

Q3 LIVE | Verstappen will start from pole on Sunday

04-03-2023 13:59 Last update: 16:04
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It's time for the first meaningful session of the 2023 Formula 1 season: qualifying for the Bahrain Grand Prix. For the first time this year, we will get to see the cars at full speed and suddenly all the hiding stops. Will Max Verstappen and Red Bull Racing get on pole position, or is Fernando Alonso a real challenger? We can't rule out Sergio Perez and Ferrari either. 

F1 LIVE | Qualifying 2023 Bahrain Grand Prix 

 

The weekend so far 

Pre-season testing indicated that Alonso and Aston Martin might be in the hunt for competitive places but nobody really took it seriously. After a day of testing, the British team remain in the picture though it's still unclear how much sandbagging is going on relative to Red Bull, Ferrari and Mercedes. Alonso even managed to top the second free practice, and record the fastest times in sectors one and three. 

Behind Red Bull and Alonso, it's very difficult to create a prediction. The midfield looks very tight. Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz have admitted they are hiding something and it wouldn't be a surprise to see one of those two drivers on pole given that the Italian team managed to get four more pole positions than Red Bull in 2022. Lewis Hamilton and George Russell look to be slightly further down the order. 

 
 
 
 
 
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The Bahrain Grand Prix

Formula 1 has been coming to Bahrain since 2004, hosting the first Middle Eastern Grand Prix that year. The race was initially held during the day but has become an evening race since 2014. In 2014, an evening race was organised for the anniversary edition, but it was such a success that daytime racing was never repeated in Bahrain. In 2020, the country was called upon twice to host a race. Apart from the Bahrain GP, there was also the Sakhir Grand Prix, for which a different circuit layout was used. For this, the shorter, lightning-fast outside track was used, providing lap times of under a minute.

Verstappen may have 15 races to his name in 2022, but the Bahrain GP was not one of them. The reigning World Champion has never won the race and will be only too happy to change that. Together with Red Bull Racing, Verstappen hopes to kick off the season with a win and thus make a stronger start than the year before.

Lewis Hamilton still has the highest number of wins to his name in Bahrain. The Mercedes driver won five times at the Bahrain International Circuit, followed by Sebastian Vettel with four and Fernando Alonso with three wins. The latest race winner is Charles Leclerc, who made a strong impression in the opening race of the season in 2022.