Bahrain Grand Prix

Monaco’s Formula One driver Charles Leclerc of Scuderia Ferrari Mission Winnow steers his car during the qualifying for the 2022 Formula One Grand Prix of Bahrain at the Sakhir circuit near Manama, Bahrain, 18 March 2022. EPA/ALI HAIDER

Bahrain Grand Prix: Starting grid on Sunday 20 March 2022

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc will start from pole position for Sunday’s season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix after a blistering lap.

Bahrain Grand Prix

Monaco’s Formula One driver Charles Leclerc of Scuderia Ferrari Mission Winnow steers his car during the qualifying for the 2022 Formula One Grand Prix of Bahrain at the Sakhir circuit near Manama, Bahrain, 18 March 2022. EPA/ALI HAIDER

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc will start from pole position for Sunday’s season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix.

World champion Max Verstappen was made to settle for second place in qualifying after going quickest in practice.

Charles Leclerc takes pole ahead of Max Verstappen

Leclerc clocked in 0.123 seconds faster than Red Bull’s Verstappen, while Carlos Sainz will start third on the grid in the second Ferrari ahead of Sergio Perez.

“It feels good! The last two years have been incredibly difficult for the team,” said Leclerc, who took the 10th Formula One pole of his career.

“I think we have worked extremely well as a team, very happy with today. I wasn’t completely happy with my driving but managed to do that lap in Q3 and we start from pole, so very happy.”

Perez qualified fourth in the second Red Bull ahead of Lewis Hamilton in fifth. 

The sport’s most sweeping technical rule changes in 40 years, featuring new race management and all-new cars designed to create closer racing, may throw up some shocks this season.

The seven-time world champion was a distant 0.680sec off the pace in his Mercedes.

Valtteri Bottas came sixth in his first qualifying session for Alfa Romeo since leaving Mercedes at the end of last season.

Bahrain Grand Prix Starting Grid

Leclerc
Monaco’s Formula 1 driver Charles Leclerc of Scuderia Ferrari Mission Winnow climbs out of his car after taking pole position during qualifying for the Bahrain Grand Prix at the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir, Bahrain, 19 March 2022. Photo: EPA/ALI HAIDER

Starting grid for Sunday’s Bahrain Grand Prix, the opening round of the 2022 Formula One world championship, after qualifying on Saturday:

Front row:

Charles Leclerc (MON/Ferrari)

Max Verstappen (NED/Red Bull)

2nd row:

Carlos Sainz Jr (ESP/Ferrari)

Sergio Perez (MEX/Red Bull)

3rd row:

Lewis Hamilton (GBR/Mercedes)

Valtteri Bottas (FIN/Alfa Romeo-Ferrari)

4th row:

Kevin Magnussen (DEN/Haas-Ferrari)

Fernando Alonso (ESP/Alpine-Renault)

5th row:

George Russell (GBR/Mercedes)

Pierre Gasly (FRA/AlphaTauri-Red Bull)

6th row:

Esteban Ocon (FRA/Alpine-Renault)

Mick Schumacher (GER/Haas-Ferrari)

7th row:

Lando Norris (GBR/McLaren-Mercedes)

Alexander Albon (THA/Williams-Mercedes)

8th row:

Zhou Guanyu (CHN/Alfa Romeo-Ferrari)

Yuki Tsunoda (JPN/AlphaTauri-Red Bull)

9th row:

Nico Hulkenberg (GER/Aston Martin-Mercedes)

Daniel Ricciardo (AUS/McLaren-Mercedes)

10th row:

Lance Stroll (CAN/Aston Martin-Mercedes)

Nicholas Latifi (CAN/Williams-Mercedes)