F1 Bahrain Grand Prix qualifying LIVE REACTION: Max Verstappen pips Lewis Hamilton to pole after Q3 – latest updates

LEWIS HAMILTON is back as he looks to become the first man in history to win eight F1 world championships.

The Brit is taking part in qualifying NOW as all the drivers look for the prime slots on the grid for tomorrow's Bahrain Grand Prix in the opening round of the F1 season.

Get Lewis Hamilton to make PODIUM at F1 Bahrain GP at 20/1!

  • Simon Mail

    GREEN FLAG

    Another reminder of course that the season opener gets underway tomorrow afternoon.

    The Bahrain Grand Prix starts at 4pm on Sunday with Max Verstappen on pole for Red Bull.

    Max Verstappen is on poleCredit: Getty

    Will Verstappen be able to hold off world champion Lewis Hamilton and claim victory in the first race of the season?

  • Simon Mail

    CHANGING GEARS

    IT is just 103 days since the final race of the 2020 season in Abu Dhabi, but over the winter there have been plenty of changes.

    A total of 12 drivers have moved to F1, or left, or changed teams, that's over half of the grid.

    Fernando Alonso is back in F1Credit: PA

    Some of the biggest stories include Mick Schumacher, the son of seven-times world champion Michael, selected for the Haas team.

    There is also a return for Fernando Alonso with the two-times world champion back following a two-year break.

    How will they get on in tomorrow's season opener?

  • Simon Mail

    NO STOPPING VERSTAPPEN

    All the talk coming in this week was about the pace of the Red Bull.

    And Max Verstappen certainly backed this up with a dominant performance in qualifying.

    Max Verstappen took pole positionCredit: AP

    The Dutchman was quickest in all three practice sessions and the qualifying sessions as he stormed to pole.

  • Simon Mail

    NO SCHU IN

    It was a tough introduction for Mick Schumacher as he ended up 19th – ahead of only Haas team-mate Nikita Mazepin.

    The German was nearly two seconds off the pace of Q1 leader Verstappen.

    It was a tough introduction for Mick SchumacherCredit: Rex
  • Alex Terrell

    HAMILTON REACTS

    The world champ will start tomorrow on the front row and just behind Max Verstappen.

    He said: "Congratulations to Max. He did such an amazing job, so fast on that last lap.

    "I absolutely gave it everything I had, but unfortunately it wasn't good enough.

    "There's always more, but it was the best I could do, I got everything I could from the car."

  • Alex Terrell

    DUTCH COURAGE

    Verstappen tells Sky Sports’ David Coulthard: “We had a good week of testing.

    “There are no guarantees but it's been great so far, really enjoyable to drive.

    "With the wind conditions changing, it's not easy to change the set up of the car but I'm really happy with pole position.

    "My first lap in Q3 wasn't amazing but finally, the balance was there. You have to be careful not to overheat the rear tyres.

    "The car has been steady on the short and long runs, we have a good car. We need a good, clean start."

  • Alex Terrell

    TOP 10

    Here is how they finished after Q3 in Bahrain.

    A handy .388 of a second advantage for Max Verstappen shows just how fast that Red Bull has been.

  • Ben Hunt

    MAX VERSTAPPEN IS ON POLE

    The Red Bull garage celebrate. A fantastic lap.

    Mercedes look shell-shocked.

    Verstappen is P1, Hamilton P2, Bottas P3.

  • Ben Hunt

    FINAL MINUTE

    This is going to be close

  • Ben Hunt

    VERSTAPPEN TAKES PROVISIONAL POLE

    Hamilton looked to have done enough but he has lost out to Verstappen, who has taken provisional pole by just 0.023 seconds.

  • Ben Hunt

    Q3 IS GO – WHO WILL TAKE POLE?

    This is too close to call.

  • Ben Hunt

    PEREZ IS OUT

    A blow for the Red Bull newboy, who fails to reach the top 10. He is bitterly disappointed.

    No such problems for Fernando Alonso, who is into Q3.

  • Ben Hunt

    FERRARI DOUBLE

    Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc pump in two late flying laps on the quicker soft tyre.

    And they take P1 and P2. Nobody saw that coming. They are in to the top 10.

  • Ben Hunt

    FANTASTIC FOOTAGE OF GASLY

    The AlphaTauri man delivers a quality lap to move into the top four. That car is cracking.

  • Ben Hunt

    HAMILTON FINALLY GETS ON TOP

    The world champion tops the timesheets for the first time this weekend.

    Have Mercedes made improvements? Were they sandbagging after all?

    Verstappen in P2, but has damage to the floor of his car.

  • Ben Hunt

    Q2 IS GO

    Busy track. Valtteri Bottas is first out. The majority of the bigger teams opting for the media tyres, which they will start the race on tomorrow.

    But can one of the midfield teams cause and upset using the quicker, soft tyre?

  • Ben Hunt

    Q1 IS DONE BLOW FOR VETTEL – RUSSELL THROUGH

    Those drivers eliminated are: Mick Schumacher, Nicholas Latifi, Esteban Ocon, Sebastian Vettel and Nikita Mazepin.

  • Ben Hunt

    VERSTAPPEN HAS A WOBBLE

    The Red Bull man goes quickest and is looking good at the top of the timesheets.

    But he has just gone wide of the track and now broken some of his floor. Will that have an impact on his lap time for qualifying?

  • Ben Hunt

    SUPER STUFF FROM TSUNODA

    The AlphaTauri rookie, Yuki Tsunoda, has a mega lap and sets the second-quickest time after Max Verstappen.

  • Ben Hunt

    BUSY TRACK

    The pitlane comes alive as cars pull out from their garages. Plenty of early action with just 10 minutes remaining of Q1.

  • Ben Hunt

    SPAIN FOR MAZEPIN

    The Russian driver has lost control and spuns his Haas at Turn 13. Not a great start for his F1 career.

    He is back into the pits for some new tyres.

  • Ben Hunt

    RUSSELL IS FIRST OUT

    The Williams man is on track. What can he do? Will he make it into the top 15?

  • Ben Hunt

    HERE WE GO QUALIFYING FOR THE FIRST RACE OF THE SEASON

    Can Red Bull keep up their excellent start with a pole? Or will Mercedes strike back?

    Who else will make the top 10? Can Fernando Alonso challenge on his return?

    And how will George Russell go in his Williams.

  • William Pugh

    AND THERE WE HAVE IT!

    Max Verstappen with Red Bull fastest again with 1m 30.577s in P3.

    Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton second with 1m 31.316s and Pierre Gasly with AlphaTauri third on 1m 31.583s.

    Huge advantage for Red Bull going into the first qualifying session of the season later on.

  • William Pugh

    TWO MINUTES TO GO!

    Last chance for the drivers to squeeze a lap in before P3 comes to an end.

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