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Bahrain GP
Bahrain GP
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2023 Formula 1 Bahrain GP
Mar 2, 2023 to Mar 5, 2023
| Bahrain International Circuit, BH
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Formula 1 Bahrain GP
F1 Bahrain GP Live Commentary and Updates - FP3 and Qualifying
Saturday's Formula 1 action from the Bahrain International Circuit
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Summary
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Summary:
- Verstappen on pole for 2023 F1 opener in Bahrain
- The reigning champion leads a Red Bull 1-2 in qualifying ahead of Ferrari pair Leclerc and Sainz
- Alonso qualifies fifth for Aston Martin in front of both Mercedes
- Out in Q2: P11 Norris, P12 Bottas, P13 Zhou, P14 Tsunoda, P15 Albon
- Out in Q1: P16 Sargeant, P17 Magnussen, P18 Piastri, P19 De Vries, P20 Gasly
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Leaderboard:
- Verstappen, Red Bull, 1m29.708s
- Perez, Red Bull, 1m29.846s
- Leclerc, Ferrari, 1m30.000s
- Sainz, Ferrari, 1m30.154s
- Alonso, Aston Martin, 1m30.336s
- Russell, Mercedes, 1m30.340s
- Hamilton, Mercedes, 1m30.384s
- Stroll, Aston Martin, 1m30.836s
- Ocon, Alpine, 1m30.984s
- Hulkenberg, Haas, No time
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12:23:46 pm
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Thank you very much for joining us today, as ever. We'll be back tomorrow with build up to the Bahrain Grand Prix - don't miss it! See you then.
12:23:13 pm
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A few of our questions have been answered, but plenty more remain - not least how the cars will fare in race trim when tyre degradation becomes a factor. So there's plenty more to look forward to tomorrow as the first race of the season finally gets going.
12:22:26 pm
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So, what to make of that? Red Bull, as expected after testing, has the edge. And for all of Fernando Alonso's promising form in practice, Aston Martin wasn't able to usurp the Ferraris as the nearest challenger to the RB19. But he was ahead of the two Mercedes, who have plenty of work to do.
Breaking news
12:21:16 pm
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If you missed any of the session, here is the full report: https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/f1-bahrain-gp-verstappen-leads-red-bull-1-2-for-season-opener/10439590/
12:19:45 pm
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12:19:22 pm
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A tactical decision, it appears, was behind Leclerc's decision not to head out for a second Q3 run. It didn't cost him a position, as he remained third - so could keeping a set of tyres back prove key? Red Bull didn't do a second run at the end of Q2 though, remember.
12:15:19 pm
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Ocon too you expect will be chuffed with ninth. Alpine may face a fight to stay at the head of the midfield bunch given Aston's form, but the incumbent has kept the French cars at the sharp end. A disappointing day for Gasly meanwhile means the Alpine newcomer will start last.
12:14:02 pm
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Although Hulkenberg lost his best lap for a track limits breach, it didn't cost him a position as his best effort was still slower than Ocon in ninth. A grand effort all the same from the German, who starts seven places ahead of his team-mate.
12:12:46 pm
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Aston will be heartened by making Q3 with both cars, although Alonso's deficit to pole ended up at a yawning 0.628s after topping FP2 and FP3. That just goes to show that practice is practice, and qualifying is an entirely different ball game.
12:11:31 pm
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So Red Bull starts 2023 much as it ended 2022, with a 0.292s gap to the next-best machine in third.
12:10:20 pm
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Sainz improves to fourth on a 1m30.154s but is 0.154s shy of Leclerc in third. Then Alonso will start fifth ahead of Russell and Hamilton.
12:09:35 pm
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Verstappen improves again and consolidates his pole position. It's a 1m29.708s for the world champion, who will be joined on the front row by Perez who manages a 1m29.846s.
Checkered flag
12:08:58 pm
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Stroll improves but remains eighth. It's enough to keep him ahead of Ocon as the flag comes out.
12:08:19 pm
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Hulkenberg meanwhile has had his time deleted for track limits.
12:07:55 pm
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Ocon is yet to set a time and is going for his only run of this Q3 session, joined on the track by Stroll, Sainz and the Rrd Bulls.
12:06:44 pm
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The Red Bulls and Sainz return to the track, but Leclerc is out of his car.
12:06:21 pm
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It's fifth for Russell, but Hamilton is only seventh!
12:05:34 pm
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Hulkenberg beats Stroll into sixth - but what can the Mercedes muster?
12:05:11 pm
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Alonso goes provisionally fourth, slotting in ahead of Sainz!
12:04:38 pm
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Stroll is fifth and slowest of those to have set a time. Now here come the Mercedes, Alonso and Hulkenberg.
12:03:52 pm
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And Verstappen does claim provisional pole with a 1m29.897s. Leclerc clocks in with a 1m30.000s, Perez third and Sainz fourth currently.
12:00:28 pm
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It's a blistering purple first sector for Verstappen. He's looking rather ominous.
11:59:53 am
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Verstappen is the first to line up a flying lap. Can he break into the 1m29s bracket?
11:58:08 am
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The Red Bulls are first to emerge. A year ago this race ended with a double retirement for the Milton Keynes team, so it has a point to prove at this track.
Green flag
11:56:56 am
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Here we go. Q3 begins. Time to lay all the cards down.
11:56:08 am
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I've seen a few people remarking that this qualifying session is so close it has Jerez 1997 vibes. Surely, surely it won't be THAT close. Will it?
11:55:10 am
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This may be slightly distorted by the fact Red Bull didn't go out for the final runs and the track appears to be improving all the time as temperatures reduce and the rubber goes down. But it underlines how everybody is still guessing right now.
11:53:43 am
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Leclerc, you may remember yesterday, was predicting that Ferrari doesn't "have performance for pole". Is he about to be proven wrong? Here's the story in case you hadn't read it yet: https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/leclerc-ferrari-dont-have-performance-for-pole-at-bahrain-gp/10439175/
11:52:37 am
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Neither Red Bull appeared for the final Q2 runs, so how much does Verstappen have in the tank? We won't have much longer to wait to find out.
11:51:42 am
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A huge achievement for Hulkenberg making Q3 on his return. He's totally vindicated Gunther Steiner's decision to give him a way back onto the grid so far.
Checkered flag
11:50:58 am
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So, our 10 for the first Q3 of the year are:
1. Leclerc
2. Verstappen
3. Russell
4. Hamilton
5. Sainz
6. Alonso
7. Perez
8. Hulkenberg
9. Ocon
10. Stroll
11:50:04 am
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And that's it. Stroll just squeaks into P10, denying Norris. Also left out are Bottas, Zhou, Tsunoda and Albon.
Stopwatch
11:49:14 am
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But Leclerc responds with a will - it's P1 for the Ferrari on a 1m30.282s to secure safe passage to Q3.
11:48:43 am
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Bottas is up to eighth and Zhou to 10th. Leclerc is out as it stands!
11:48:18 am
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Ocon improves to fourth, but then up comes Hulkenberg to third!
11:47:34 am
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Notably, the two Red Bulls have not emerged for the final few minutes. Everybody else barring Albon, whose goose apparently is cooked, has done so.
11:46:11 am
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His weighbridge visit complete, Stroll is back out on track with a fresh set of boots for the final few minutes of Q2.
11:45:12 am
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Albon's plan doesn't work, and he understeers off at Turn 6 so doesn't set a time.
11:43:57 am
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Stroll's Aston is being wheeled hurriedly down the pitlane. Looks like an inconveniently-timed trip to the weigh bridge has been requested.
11:43:17 am
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Zhou currently sits 11th ahead of Stroll, Ocon, Tsunoda. Albon has yet to set a time and is going for a different runplan - he's going for his time now while the track is quiet.
Pagination
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By: Autosport Staff
Published: Mar 4, 2023, 4:23 PM
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