At the Sakhir Grand Prix, British driver George Russell almost lost out on a dream pole position after being pushed out by his Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas.
Russell, who was filling in for Lewis Hamilton after the seven-time world champion’s positive COVID-19 test, was only 0.026 seconds slower in qualifying than Bottas.
Russell’s final run under the lights of the Sakhir Circuit improved, but it was not enough to usurp the Finn.
Max Verstappen of Red Bull will start third, just 0.056 seconds behind Bottas. Charles Leclerc of Ferrari finished fourth, while Daniel Ricciardo of Australia will start seventh in his Renault.
Hamilton has dominated this season, winning 11 of the 15 races, but his forced absence here — the first Formula One qualifying session without the world champion since the season-ending 2006 Brazilian Grand Prix — made for a nervous affair.
Russell, a Williams driver by day, had a fairy-tale call-up when Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff asked him to take Hamilton’s championship-winning seat.
And the young Briton from King’s Lynn in Norfolk impressed the crowds by topping both practice sessions on Friday, almost losing out on pole position.
“It has been incredibly tense with so much to learn and getting used to the car,” Russell said.
“It felt really alien to begin with and it is a different way to drive. I needed to relearn how to drive this car fast.
“I was happy to get through to Q3 after final practice, and if you told me last week I would qualify second, I wouldn’t have believed you.
“Valtteri has pushed Lewis a huge amount in qualifying over the years and we know how great Lewis is, so to be just behind Valtteri with three days preparation, I am pleased.
“I have got nobody in front of me, which I have not experienced for a long time, so it is going to be tricky. I will give it everything I have got.”
The sport is back in Bahrain for a second race in as many weekends but a new configuration of the Sakhir track is being used.
Bottas’ 53.37-second lap was the fastest since Niki Lauda put his Ferrari on pole for the French Grand Prix in Dijon 36 years ago in 58.79 seconds.
The Englishman making his grand prix debut as Russell’s deputy completed 18th, but will start ahead of 2007 world champion Kimi Raikkonen and last-placed Pietro Fittipaldi, grandson of twice world winner Emerson Fittipaldi.
After a terrifying 225 km/h flame inferno in last weekend’s race in Bahrain, the 24-year-old Brazilian is filling in for Romain Grosjean.
The uniforms of Formula One racing drivers are currently available at the following websites for a reasonable price:
