Verstappen takes pole for Bahrain GP at Sepang

Max Verstappen took pole position for the Bahrain Grand Prix at Sepang on Saturday, setting a 1:35.130 lap to put his Red Bull 0.298 seconds ahead of Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari. Isack Hadjar was reported to have qualified third-fastest, but a five-place grid penalty for an engine change is expected to affect his starting position. Verstappen led all three qualifying sessions at the Malaysian circuit, which is hosting the Bahrain-branded race after the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian events were called off earlier this year. The race is being held at Sepang for the first time since 2017. Reports attributed the cancellations to the Iran war. Hamilton secured a front-row start, his first since the Barcelona Grand Prix, according to one report. The Ferrari driver said the heat and sliding tyres made it difficult to find a good balance, and that a setup change helped the team find a better one. His lap left him nearly three-tenths of a second behind Verstappen. Reports said Hadjar’s third-fastest time came with a five-place grid penalty for taking a seventh internal-combustion engine of the season. The complete starting grid after penalties was not provided.