F1 Bahrain Grand Prix LIVE: Max Verstappen begins on pole as Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes aim to reassess car style

Max Verstappen struck the very first blow of the brand-new Formula One season by protecting lead for the Bahrain Grand Prix.

The double world champ beat Sergio Perez as Red Bull locked out the front row by one tenth of a 2nd with Charles Leclerc 3rd for Ferrari.

Carlos Sainz completed 4th in the other scarlet car ahead of Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso. George Russell certified 6th as Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton might handle just seventh.

Hamilton, 38, completed more than 6 tenths adrift of Verstappen as his worries that Mercedes have actually fallen even more behind their competitors were played out under the countless bulbs that illuminate the Sakhir circuit.

But there were no such issues for Verstappen as the pre-season preferred, who in 2015 won 15 of the 22 races as he declared his 2nd successive world title, protected his 21st pole on his dad Jos Verstappen’s 51st birthday.

Toto Wolff has actually revealed that Mercedes will ditch this season’s car prior to a race has actually even happened.

On Friday, a bleak Hamilton said his group are on the “wrong track”, had actually fallen even more behind his competitors and questioned whether Mercedes’ idea will permit him to complete for a record 8th world champion.

“I went in with an open mind. The fact we’re getting into Q3 was great, a lot of great work happened overnight.

“We made a step forward today. Different place. In qualifying the car didn’t feel alive, felt average, I hope the direction I go tomorrow is better for the race.

“We were six-tenths behind last year, it’s not an impossible mountain to climb. We’ve got to really focus and push like we did before.”

Hamilton begins P7 for today’s race.

Alonso will start 5th today for Aston Martin: “Pole was too optimistic. Our aim was top five top six. Our expectations were to be 0.5 behind Red Bull, it is around that time. We expect this position, I’m extremely happy.

“I’m very surprised. I believe in the project. Very talented design group. I felt Aston Martin would be a competitor in the future. This car is a very basic car, this is just the baseline. Top-five race one wasn’t expected for everybody.

“I trust the people Lawrence was hiring. The strength of the car has been the long runs, very low degradation. It sounds too good for me to say, tomorrow starting P5, we aim to start on the podium. This sounds amazing!”

Here’s the beginning grid for today’s race!

Welcome to live protection of the Bahrain Grand Prix with The Independent as Max Verstappen begins on pole for the very first race of the 2023 Formula 1 season.

Red Bull have actually locked out the front row with Sergio Perez in 2nd, while it’s Ferrari in 3rd and 4th with Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz respectively.

Fernando Alonso remains in 5th for the remarkable Aston Martin, with the Mercedes set of George Russell and Lewis Hamilton 6th and seventh.

Lights out is at 3pm (GMT) – remain right here for all the build-up till then!