Ferrari’s Leclerc grabs pole for Bahrain GP
Sports Desk, Mar 19 (EFE).- Monaco’s Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) took pole position Saturday in qualifying for the Bahrain Grand Prix, the inaugural event of the 2022 Formula One season.
He made it around the 5,412 m track at the Bahrain International Circuit in 1:30.558, 0.123 seconds faster than reigning F1 champion Max Verstappen (Red Bull).
Leclerc’s Ferrari teammate, Spaniard Carlos Sainz, was third, just 6 milliseconds slower than the Dutchman.
Red Bull driver Sergio “Checo” Perez of Mexico took fourth place, followed in fifth by British seven-time F1 champion Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes), who will be joined in the third row on Sunday by Finnish former teammate Valtteri Bottas (Alfa Romeo).
Denmark’s Kevin Magnussen (Haas), making his return to F1 after a year’s absence, finished seventh, ahead of Spanish double F1 champion Fernando Alonso (Alpine).
Rounding out the top 10 were Briton George Russell (Mercedes) and Frenchman Pierre Gasly (AlphaTauri).
The 24-year-old Leclerc will start from P1 for the 10th time in his F1 career. EFE arh/dr
