Rollercoaster Piastri debut continues in Bahrain

1 year ago 78

Formula One champion Max Verstappen is successful the close spot to triumph his archetypal Bahrain Grand Prix by starting from the rod successful Monday's season-opening race.

But young Aussie rookie Oscar Piastri volition commencement his debut F1 race from 18th connected the grid pursuing a rollercoaster weekend.

That disappointing qualifying showing followed a adjacent miss by Piastri successful Free Practice 1.

The godforsaken way has been barren for Verstappen, who failed to decorativeness 3 of his archetypal 4 races there. The two-time reigning champion seemed cursed successful Sakhir past twelvemonth erstwhile his Red Bull failed conscionable laps from the extremity with a steering problem.

Ferrari clinched a one-two decorativeness with Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz Jr and appeared to beryllium Verstappen's apical challengers for past year's title. But aft opening 2022 with 2 DNFs successful 3 races, Verstappen recovered to triumph an F1 grounds 15 races successful a dominating year.

“Hopefully nary brainsick things volition happen," Verstappen said. He volition beryllium joined connected the beforehand enactment by Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez.

Perez bushed Leclerc to suffice second, .138 seconds down Verstappen nether the floodlights.

“Very blessed to beryllium connected pole,” Verstappen said aft securing his 21st vocation pole. “We’ve shown truly bully contention gait but we request to amusement that (on Monday)."

Leclerc was 3rd and starts connected the 2nd enactment alongside teammate Sainz.

“We were successful the combat (for pole), which I astir apt did not expect. That’s a bully surprise,” Leclerc said. “Realistically, they (Red Bull) look to beryllium very, precise quick. We person taken a measurement guardant but I don’t deliberation it’s enough."

Leclerc posted lone 1 clip successful the last qualifying radical and didn't instrumentality a past changeable astatine rod successful bid to prevention tyres for the race.

“We request to support successful our caput that successful the contention run, we look to beryllium a small spot connected the backfoot compared to Red Bull,” helium said. “I deliberation we are successful a amended spot starting 3rd with caller tires than starting archetypal with aged oregon a spot further up."

Fernando Alonso showed bully velocity for Aston Martin arsenic the 41-year-old Spaniard qualified fifth, followed by Mercedes drivers George Russell and seven-time F1 champion Lewis Hamilton.

Alonso was not expecting to beryllium challenging for his 99th vocation podium successful his archetypal contention for Aston Martin.

“Going for a podium successful contention one, it feels excessively bully to beryllium true,” Alonso said. "If we person an accidental for sure, we volition instrumentality it.”

It shows however acold show has fallen astatine once-dominant Mercedes — which won 8 consecutive constructors' titles — that some drivers trailed Alonso yet inactive felt their performances exceeded expectations.

“I thought contiguous whitethorn beryllium worse than it ended up being,” Hamilton said. “We did immoderate large enactment overnight.”

Russell believes a realistic people is 3rd spot but that Alonso mightiness get successful the way.

“Qualifying 3 tenths down Ferrari erstwhile they person astir apt been the fastest car connected azygous thigh gait is positive,” Russell said. “Fernando is astir apt much of a acheronian equine than Ferrari.”

Alonso's teammate, Lance Stroll, was eighth.

Alpine's Esteban Ocon and caller Haas operator Nico Hulkenberg rounded retired the apical 10.

F1 newcomer Logan Sargeant, the archetypal American operator connected the grid since 2015, was 16th for Williams. He surged up from past connected his past thigh and narrowly missed retired connected advancing into the 2nd round, with McLaren's Lando Norris conscionable edging him out.

Veteran Kevin Magnussen was 17th for Haas; caller McLaren operator Piastri was 18th, past AlphaTauri's Nyck de Vries. Frenchman Pierre Gasly, who has won an F1 race, was past connected his Alpine debut.

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