Bahrain GP qualifying facts and stats: Verstappen pole breaks Mercedes run stretching back to 2014

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Sean Kelly
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BAHRAIN, BAHRAIN - MARCH 27: Max Verstappen of the Netherlands driving the (33) Red Bull Racing

An absorbing qualifying session saw Max Verstappen take pole for the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix over Lewis Hamilton, throwing up some interesting stats and facts along the way...

  • Verstappen denied Mercedes pole position in the season-opener for the first time in the hybrid era.

  • For the first time in his career, Verstappen has taken consecutive pole positions.

READ MORE: Verstappen takes pole for 2021 season opener after outpacing Mercedes in Bahrain

  • Hamilton has never started on the front-row with Verstappen on pole.

  • Hamilton will start second but nobody has won from second here since Nico Rosberg in 2016.

  • Valtteri Bottas starts third. If the podium remains like this, Hamilton, Bottas and Verstappen will tie the all-time record for most podiums including the same three drivers; Hamilton, Rosberg and Sebastian Vettel shared the podium 14 times.

Valtteri Bottas (FIN) Mercedes AMG F1 in qualifying parc ferme.
27.03.2021. Formula 1 World

Bottas starts third and could join Verstappen and Hamilton on the podium for the 14th time

  • Charles Leclerc tied Ferrari's best qualification from 2020, as he was fourth on four occasions last year.

  • Pierre Gasly matched his best-ever Bahrain performance with P5. He finished fourth for Toro Rosso from P5 in 2018.

  • Daniel Ricciardo has out-qualified team mates on all 11 visits to Bahrain. He qualified sixth on Saturday.

READ MORE: 'It's definitely closer than we expected' – Hamilton surprised by gap between Red Bull and Mercedes

  • Carlos Sainz led Q2 and ended up eighth on the grid. Ferrari led one session or qualifying segment in the entire 2020 season with Vettel top in a very wet Hungary FP2.

  • Ferrari had both cars in Q3 for the first time since the 2020 British GP.

BAHRAIN, BAHRAIN - MARCH 27: Charles Leclerc of Monaco driving the (16) Scuderia Ferrari SF21 on

Leclerc has equalled Ferrari's best qualification from 2020, with fourth here

  • Alpine's two-time champion Fernando Alonso (P9) reached Q3 for the first time since 2018 Monaco, ending a 15-race drought.

  • Sergio Perez was knocked out in Q2, qualifying 11th for Red Bull. Alex Albon was knocked out in Q2 three times last season, including the Sakhir GP that Perez won.

  • Aston Martin's Vettel qualified 18th. He was knocked out in Q1 just once last year, at Monza.

READ MORE: ‘I missed this feeling’ – Alonso revels in ‘amazing’ Q3 appearance as he makes qualifying return for Alpine

  • Esteban Ocon managed P16 for Alpine. He was not eliminated in Q1 last season, the last time being in Hungary 2018.

  • Williams' George Russell, 15th, has still never been out-qualified by a Williams team mate.

  • Mick Schumacher out-qualified Haas team mate Nikita Mazepin on their debuts. Michael Schumacher out-qualified then-team mate Andrea de Cesaris by 0.774s on his debut at Spa, in 1991.

George Russell (GBR) Williams Racing FW43B.
Bahrain Grand Prix, Friday 26th March 2021. Sakhir,

Russell has retained his 100% qualifying streak over Williams team mates

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