After an unusual build-up which included a bizarre session-topping Daniel Ricciardo and RB, with Mercedes and Ferrari looking strong, qualifying finally gave us the chance to see the competitive order ahead of the Bahrain Grand Prix.
The grid
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 (Mercedes)
10 Nico Hulkenberg (Haas)
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)
It’s probably no surprise to anyone to see Max Verstappen at the front and in pole position, but his rivals were closer than they thought they might be as Charles Leclerc will start alongside on the front row for Ferrari.
Mercedes appears to have traded in some of its one-lap pace that led to it topping the second practice session for a better race set-up, so it wasn’t quite the threat that was expected with George Russell in third and Lewis Hamilton suffering more with set-up tweaks in ninth.
On the second row, Sainz will start alongside Russell, with Verstappen's Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez fifth, ahead of Fernando Alonso.
The McLarens lock out the fourth row of the grid, with Lando Norris marginally ahead of Oscar Piastri, and just behind, Nico Hulkenberg rounds out the top 10 joining Hamilton on row five.
The race starts at 1800hrs local time (1500 UK time).
Don't forget to return to The Race and visit our Live Hub for blow-by-blow updates before and during the race.
