The wait has been long for Max Verstappen but when the Dutchman finally claimed his first pole position of the year he did it in no little style. Taking the top spot for Red Bull at the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, Verstappen was all but untouchable. However, what was of greatest import for the Formula One world championship was the gulf between the title leader, Kimi Antonelli, and his Mercedes teammate, George Russell.
The latter, somewhat floundering in Sepang, is now in danger of losing further points he can ill afford in pursuit of the Italian. Verstappen delivered a commanding performance in taking Red Bull’s first pole of the season, beating the Ferrari of Lewis Hamilton, who also delivered a mighty lap, into second by three-tenths of a second. Antonelli was fourth but crucially his title rival Russell could mange only eighth.
Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar qualified third but has a five-place grid penalty for taking a new engine, meaning Antonelli will start third on the grid and Russell seventh. Charles Leclerc was fifth for Ferrari and the defending world champion, Lando Norris, sixth for McLaren. Verstappen, who has been wrestling with a recalcitrant Red Bull all season and is out of the title fight, has yet to take a win and was understandably pleased with pole.
Not least in that his team have done so well to develop the car – and that he could take advantage of it with the control and confidence he has demonstratedso far in Malaysia. I am happy with today and I am going to try to win tomorrow. When you start first, that is the target.” Few would bet against him, although a jubilant Hamilton, taking his best qualifying result since the Hungarian GP, will expect to mix it with the Dutchman from the off, setting up a mouthwatering opening to the race.
However, it is in their wake where the title is at stake. After his victory at the last round in Baku, Russell had closed the gap to Antonelli to 66 points with eight rounds remaining and was hopeful of increasing the pressure. Yet he could not hook it up in Malaysia, while Mercedes were also left a little perplexed as to why the swathe of upgrades they brought to the race did not deliver.
Nonetheless it was Antonelli who still had a marked advantage over his teammate, despite an unforced error going too wide in Q2 that proved costly. The pressure is now on Russell to try to come back at his teammate, who has every opportunity to further extend his lead. Antonelli conceded that pole might have been beyond him but also noted that the high tyre degradation in Malaysia could yet play a part in what is likely to be a two or even three-stop race.
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