World champion Max Verstappen meant business when it mattered when he stormed to pole position for Saturday's season opening Bahrain Formula One Grand Prix.
Red Bull's Verstappen clocked 1 minute seconds on the 5.412-kilometre Bahrain International Circuit as he beat Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc by .228 of a second.
George Russell was third while team-mate Lewis Hamilton will start his final Mercedes season before a Ferrari move in ninth place.
Verstappen had not been satisfied in Thursday practice which he finished sixth in both sessions. He improved to third in final practice before going on to claim a 33rd career pole.
Verstappen and Red Bull have won the last three drivers' and constructors' titles. The team won 21 of the 22 races last season.
The Bahrain GP starting a season with a record 24 races is on Saturday instead of the traditional Sunday slot, just like next week's Saudi GP. That is because the Islamic fasting month of Ramadan starts on Sunday, March 10, which led to the Saudi race moved forward a day. That had a knock-on effect on Bahrain because a full week must be in-between races.
