F1 Bahrain GP Live Updates - final practice and qualifying
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By: Jake Boxall-Legge
Summary
Status: Stopped
While Hamilton will no doubt want to raise his figurative cricket bat in Abu Dhabi, he'll know the real prize is converting pole on Sunday. Can he make it a 95th career F1 win tomorrow? Check in with us to find out, with the Bahrain GP starting at 1410 GMT (1710 local time) - until then have a good one!
As pointed out by effectively everyone, Hamilton can reach a century of F1 poles this year if he repeats this afternoon's feat over the next two Saturdays. Pretty mental numbers when you think about it.
Here's the full story on qualifying for the Bahrain GP: 
More from Hamilton on his pole lap: “The lap started well but a little bit of time was lost in Turn 1, Turn 6 I could have been a little bit better. Otherwise it was a very clean lap so I was really happy with it.”
Hamilton on his 98th F1 career pole: “I think with the pressure a little bit off it was a release to go and drive like that. I am on the ragged edge, naturally, and it is about trying to find that perfect balance and chipping away.”
Bottas on his deficit to Hamilton in qualifying: “It [the lap] felt good, that’s the problem, you feel you are extracting everything from the car so that is the most confusing part. It is small things here and there, not one clear corner.”
Verstappen on his P3: “My lap was pretty good just lacking a bit of rear grip in the low-speed corners but overall it was a decent qualifying. Let’s see how we get on in the race as it is very hard on tyres but I think we made a good compromise for that. I think they [Mercedes] picked up their pace today.”
It is an all Red Bull second row, with Albon taking fourth place with his final lap, to mark a solid recovery from his FP2 crash. Perez takes fifth for Racing Point ahead of Ricciardo and Ocon.
Bottas makes it up to second place but cannot beat his Mercedes team-mate, so it is Hamilton's pole for the keeping. The Finn's lap is 0.289s off Hamilton, but he does beat Verstappen who is shuffled down to third place.
Perez's early effort gives him the best of the rest tag in fourth place ahead of Gasly, Ocon, Albon, Norris, Kvyat and Ricciardo. All drivers are back in the garages for fresh tyres ahead of the second and final runs.
Hamilton takes provisional pole with a 1m27.677s, with Verstappen splitting the Mercedes pair in second place just 0.146s off Hamilton. Bottas in third is 0.244s off Hamilton's time.
All 10 drivers out early doors for the first runs. These preparation out-laps will be crucial to get the soft tyres into the sweet spot.
So the pairs of Mercedes, Red Bulls, Renaults and AlphaTauris are joined by McLaren's Norris and Racing Point's Perez in Q3.
Vettel lets out a groan of frustration over his Ferrari team radio. He has every right to, as he missed out on Q3 by 0.141s.
Ferrari's woes return as both Vettel and Leclerc miss out on Q3 - as does Turkish GP polesitter Stroll, which is the bigger surprise.
With the top three staying put in the garages, these final few minutes of Q2 will decide which other seven drivers join them in Q3.
Hamilton beats Verstappen's time with ease with a 1m27.586s to go top by 0.439s. Bottas can only manage third but looks comfortably through to Q3 as well.
Split plans with nine minutes of Q2 to go. Norris, Verstappen, Albon and Perez out early while the rest hang back.
That is Sainz's qualifying over and he will be starting the Bahrain GP no higher than P15 - assuming everyone left in qualifying can set a lap when Q2 restarts.
Sainz, starting his first timed lap of Q2, appears to lose his McLaren under braking at Turn 1 through no fault of his own. The rears look like they've locked and the Spanish driver is stuck on the outside of the corner facing the wrong way.
Here they all come, like London buses. Lots of medium tyres on show, only Gasly and Kvyat on the softs by our count with everyone else on the C3 mediums.
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