How Bahrain Grand Prix qualifying unfolded

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Max Verstappen now has 33 career pole positions to his name and will start the 2024 season - and the defence of his title - in the best seat in the house for the Bahrain Grand Prix.

Can anyone stop the Dutchman? We'll find out on a Saturday.

Come back and join us tomorrow for build up to the opening race in Sakhir from 13:45 GMT.

Live radio commentary will also be available on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra, the BBC Sounds app and at the top of the live page from 14:45 GMT.

Enjoy your Friday night and catch you on Saturday!

Fernando Alonso will start sixth for tomorrow's race and told Sky Sports: "I feel great. I didn't expect we would be that competitive to be honest.

"Winter testing was OK but I think we are not in the pace of the leaders. Free practice was competitive but we found also last year that sometimes in free practice we are running in a different engine mode and in qualifying everything is a bit more realistic."

On Aston Martin's race pace: "It's going to be difficult because being so tight everything is going to be a group of cars which obviously will damage the tyres even more when you are in traffic. So I think it's going to be a question mark for everyone."

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George Russell who starts on the second row in third for Mercedes: “Everyone at the factory have done an amazing job to give Lewis and I a car we feel much happier with and a base we can build upon. Obviously Max is right out there in front, we've still got some catching up to do but when we look at our qualifying performance over the last two years and our race pace, starting P3 in Bahrain is a great place."

Since testing last week and being in Bahrain he added: "There's been a huge amount of work we've got some really great drivers back at our base doing the work in the simulator. Lewis and I have been on the simulator as well, fine tuning making some improvements. Time will tell tomorrow we've obviously made a step forward in single lap in qualifying pace and I hope we haven't compromised the race pace at all. I think it will be a close fight between everybody other than Max."

Ahead of tomorrow, he said: "Red Bull are so strong at the moment, Max is doing a really great job, he's got the new tyres as well and I think there is an opportunity to take the lead we will go for it."

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Ferrari's Charles Leclerc, who starts on the front row in second: "I'm a bit disappointed, but we did a good qualifying. It's been a tricky weekend so far, we have tried a few things in [practice].

"Unfortunately, we put two new sets of softs on, so it compromised a little bit, the Q3. But it is quite a good qualifying, a good start of the year. We are in a better place compared to a year ago. Now we have to see the race pace tomorrow. I found the sweet spot in qualifying, but Q1 was a bit tricky.

"All in all, a positive quali. I'm confident we did a step forward, but we have to wait and see by how much of a step forward tomorrow. If there is an opportunity, as always, I will go for it."

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Red Bull’s Max Verstappen starts the 2024 season with pole position in Bahrain: "It was a lot of fun actually, the track had a lot of grip but with the wind over the last few days, it's been quite tricky to get the whole lap together and it was the same in qualifying, in Q1, Q2 you go a bit faster with the track ramping up but to really get everything out of it in Q3 was a little bit difficult.

"I'm very happy to be on pole, to be honest it was a little bit unexpected but in qualifying I think the car came to us and I felt a bit happier with the whole car.

“I said yesterday we need to fine tune a few things on the car to try and get that perfect balance, but with the wind that was not possible, but luckily we went in the right direction and we could really push a bit more with the car.

On Saturday's race: "I think the race is going to be close as well, we do look good in the race and that’s the most important, but we will see tomorrow I'm confident we can have a strong race."

Let's take a breather and have a look at what the top three had to say after qualifying...

George Russell also says Mercedes will take any opportunities to fight for a race win but concedes: "Ultimately, the race for all of us, is for second."

Remember the Bahrain Grand Prix is on Saturday, not Sunday, this year. Lights out is at 15:00 GMT.

Next up to the microphone is Charles Leclerc, who says if there is an opportunity to try and take the lead tomorrow, the Ferrari driver "will go for it."

Max Verstappen says pole position "was a little bit unexpected" for the team, but the car "came to them during qualifying".

Charles Leclerc gives a wave and a thumbs up to the TV camera. Will he be able to find away past the Red Bull of Max Verstappen tomorrow? And stay there if he does?!

11. Yuki Tsunoda (RB)

12. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin)

13. Alex Albon (Williams)

14. Daniel Ricciardo (RB)

15. Kevin Magnussen (Haas)

16. Valtteri Bottas (Sauber)

17. Zhou Guanyu (Sauber)

18. Logan Sargeant (Williams)

19. Esteban Ocon (Alpine)

20. Pierre Gasly (Alpine)

1. Max Verstappen (Red Bull)

2. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)

3. George Russell (Mercedes)

4. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari)

5. Sergio Perez (Red Bull)

6. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin)

7. Lando Norris (McLaren)

8. Oscar Piastri (McLaren)

9. Lewis Hamilton

10. Nico Hulkenberg (Haas)

Max Verstappen goes even quicker in that Red Bull and now has the two Ferraris chasing him down. Charles Leclerc gets within two tenths within the world champion's marker to share the front row in second but Carlos Sainz can't make it into the top three. The Spaniard will start fourth.

I've noticed every single time he (Max Verstappen) has timed it perfectly to get behind a car and get a little bit of a tow, even though it's not for the full length of the straight, just to help him.

Oscar Piastri is up to seventh on the grid. George Russell is now third fastest. Lewis Hamilton stays eighth!

Max Verstappen is starting his final flying lap and gets a decent tow from the McLaren of Oscar Piastri. The Australian moves to the right to break the advantage but the Red Bull is looking strong once again.

1. Max Verstappen (Red Bull)

2. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)

3. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin)

4. George Russell (Mercedes)

5. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari)

6. Lando Norris (McLaren)

7. Sergio Perez (Red Bull)

8. Lewis Hamilton

9. Nico Hulkenberg (Haas)

10. Oscar Piastri (McLaren)