Max Verstappen sees off Leclerc challenge for first F1 2024 pole position
In a trending event, Max Verstappen will kick off his quest for a fourth successive F1 world title from pole position in the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix on Saturday, outperforming his Ferrari rival Charles Leclerc in the first qualifying hour of the 2024 season.
George Russell secured a promising third place for Mercedes, trailing Leclerc by just a tenth of a second in their extensively modified new car. However, Russell’s teammate Lewis Hamilton could only manage ninth place after opting for a different setup direction, positioning himself on row five for the season’s inaugural grid.
Verstappen, under the guidance of his team principal Christian Horner, clinched pole position with a best Q3 lap of 1:29.179, narrowly beating Leclerc by 0.228s. Despite Leclerc posting a marginally quicker time than Verstappen in the preceding Q2, he fell short in the final phase of qualifying.
The Ferrari duo of Leclerc and Carlos Sainz had initially shown promise, leading the first two segments of qualifying. However, their hopes of securing pole position for the season opener were dashed as Verstappen demonstrated his prowess.
Meanwhile, Lando Norris, in the lead McLaren, secured seventh place, closely followed by Fernando Alonso of Aston Martin. A disappointed Norris acknowledged making errors on his final attempt, expressing regret for his performance.
Nico Hulkenberg delivered a standout performance for Haas, securing tenth place and making it into Q3 despite initial concerns about being at the back of the grid. However, Alpine endured a challenging qualifying session, with Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly qualifying in 19th and 20th positions respectively.
As Verstappen celebrates his 33rd career pole, he remains aware of the challenge posed by Ferrari and anticipates a competitive race. Leclerc acknowledges the closeness of the competition but expects Red Bull to have an advantage over the longer race distance.
The stage is set for an enthralling Bahrain Grand Prix, with fans eagerly awaiting the battle between Verstappen and Leclerc as the new F1 season kicks off.
