Sakhir (AFP)
Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc of Monaco snatched the start from first place in the Bahrain Grand Prix, the first stage of the Formula 1 World Championship, following his brilliance in the official practice today, “Saturday” at the Sakhir circuit in the capital, Manama.
Leclerc outperformed the world champion Red Bull’s Dutch driver Max Verstappen, his fellow Spaniard Carlos Sainz, and Red Bull’s Mexican Sergio Perez, while the seven-time world champion Mercedes’ British driver Lewis Hamilton finished fifth.
Leclerc scored the fastest lap in the third knockout test with 1:30.558 minutes, compared to 1:30.681 minutes for Verstappen and 1:30.687 minutes for Sainus.
Leclerc led the first qualifying in front of his colleague Sainz and Verstappen, while the second driver, former Mercedes and current Alfa Romeo-Ferrari, Finn Valtteri Bottas, was fourth and Hamilton tenth behind his new teammate, fellow compatriot George Russell.
Verstappen achieved the fastest time in the second qualifying session, ahead of Science, Leclerc and Pires, and Hamilton finished fifth and Bottas tenth, before hitting Leclerc hard in the third qualifying, with the fastest lap to take the pole from first place, for the first of the 23 races this season.
Hamilton struggled in qualifying before finishing fifth to start on the same line with his former teammate Bottas on Sunday.
Denmark’s Kevin Magnussen (Haas) continued his brilliance at the beginning of the season, when he finished seventh in front of Albin-Renault driver Fernando Alonso.
Magnussen started his return to the Formula 1 world championship with his old-new American team, Haas, in the best possible way, as he set the fastest time during the second day of testing that was held last week in Bahrain, 48 hours following he replaced the Russian Nikita Mazepin. Stripped of his seat due to his country’s invasion of Ukraine.
