Red Bull then dominates: Hülkenberg and Alonso shine in the first F1 qualification

Red Bull then dominates
Hulkenberg and Alonso shine in first F1 qualification

03/04/2023, 05:11 p.m

Formula 1 starts the 2023 season in Bahrain. After strong training, Fernando Alonso is even a pole candidate – and shines in the Aston Martin as a strong fourth. Returnee Nico Hülkenberg also made it into the top ten. World champion Max Verstappen set the best time in the Red Bull.

World champion Max Verstappen has captured the first pole position of the new Formula 1 season. The Red Bull driver from the Netherlands beat his Mexican team-mate Sergio Perez and Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc in qualifying in Bahrain. The highly traded Aston Martin with ex-world champion Fernando Alonso at the wheel came in fifth.

“We got it together today and are very happy,” said Verstappen: “Usually we’re even better in the race.” Last year’s World Championship runner-up Leclerc said: “We fought for pole position, which was a good surprise to be honest.” The Monegasque went on to explain that he had saved a fresh set of tires for the race to have an advantage there.

Returnee Nico Hülkenberg placed Den Haas in a strong tenth place on the grid for his first race as a regular driver since the end of 2019. In addition, the 35-year-old clearly won the stable duel with the Dane Kevin Magnussen (17th) before the Bahrain Grand Prix on Sunday (4 p.m. / Sky and in the live ticker on ntv.de).

The Mercedes duo of George Russell and Lewis Hamilton showed that they had improved significantly compared to Friday’s practice session with sixth and seventh place, but the Silver Arrows are far from the top.

Verstappen clinched his 21st pole position, with a time of 1:29.708 minutes, the 25-year-old was significantly faster than in the test drives a week ago at the same place.

More on that shortly.