Verstappen takes pole in Malaysia

Red Bull's Max Verstappen qualified fastest for Sunday's race at the Formula One Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia on Saturday, with Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton joining him on the front row.

First front row together in three years

It is the first time the two great rivals have shared the front row of the grid since the Hungarian Grand Prix in twenty twenty-three.

Hadjar third but penalised to eighth

Verstappen's teammate Isack Hadjar was third fastest but will start eighth due to a grid penalty, with championship leader Kimi Antonelli in third alongside Ferrari's Charles Leclerc.

Mercedes struggles with upgrade package

George Russell, who won the last Grand Prix in Azerbaijan last week, will start seventh. Mercedes boss Toto Wolff said the team was caught out on Friday with car behaviour they hadn't seen all year.

“We have been a little bit caught out on Friday with some car behaviour that we didn't see all year.”

Verstappen's first pole of the season

Verstappen set a time of one minute thirty-five point one three zero seconds. He said getting pole was pretty incredible after trying for many Grands Prix to get closer to the others.

“It's fantastic, we've been trying for many Grands Prix to get more, sometimes a bit closer to the others. But to finally get it from where we started the season [it's] pretty incredible.”

Hamilton snatches second in final moments

Lewis Hamilton snatched second from Hadjar in the dying stages of qualifying. Hadjar exceeded his seasonal engine allowance, resulting in a five-place grid penalty that dropped him from third to eighth.