Verstappen starts the hunt for fourth world championship title in Bahrain from pole

Max Verstappen will start from pole position in the hunt for his first win of the season and his fourth Formula 1 world championship title. The three-time world champion from Red Bull was the fastest in qualifying and will therefore start from the front row of the grid alongside Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc at this year's Bahrain Grand Prix, which will be held on Saturday.

Verstappen clocked a fastest lap of one minute and 29.179 seconds to beat Ferrari driver Leclerc by 0.228 seconds in the final seconds of qualifying, securing his third Bahrain pole and the 33rd of his career, France 24 reported.

"It was a lot of fun," said Verstappen.

Overall, the young Dutch F1 driver is happy he reached pole position after a tricky start in qualifying. "The track had a lot of grip, but with the wind over the last few days, it's been quite tricky to get a whole lap together and it was the same in qualifying,” he said.

"In Q1 and Q2 you go a bit faster, with the track ramping up, but to really get everything out of it in Q3 was a little bit difficult. So I'm very happy to be on pole," he told France24.

Verstappen clinched his third world championship title last season by winning 19 of 22 Grands Prix. Back then, he won the race at the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir for the first time. The 26-year-old from Limburg is confident that the Red Bull team can put on another strong race.

Sergio Pérez, Verstappen's teammate, will start from fifth place. Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton only managed ninth place in qualifying.

The Bahrain Grand Prix, the first of a record-breaking 24 Grands Prix this season, starts at 4 p.m. (Dutch time).