Charles Leclerc won the first qualifying of the new Formula 1 season on Saturday.

The Ferrari driver will start the Bahrain Grand Prix on Sunday (4 p.m. CET in the FAZ live ticker for Formula 1 and on Sky) from pole position ahead of favorite Max Verstappen in the Red Bull and the second Ferrari with Carlos Sainz Jr at the wheel.

The Scuderia thus confirmed their performance during the test drives on the track in the Sakhir desert.

“I had balance problems, the car wasn't what I wanted and I wasn't that good either.

But it was a good fight," said Verstappen, "we are prepared for the race, I'm excited."

Anno Hecker

Responsible editor for sports.

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Mercedes, constructors' world champion eight times in a row, lived up to their own announcement: this time they were relatively far behind the frontrunners at the start.

The seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton (5th), who was replaced by Verstappen as champion, needed almost 0.7 seconds longer than the Monegasse Leclerc.

His new teammate George Russell was only ninth on his tour of the Sakhir Desert due to a driving error.

After the rule reform, however, the top seems to be as close together as hoped.

The first race on the grid ended disappointingly for Mick Schumacher – although he finished twelfth.

Last year that would have been cause for celebration in the slowest car.

This time, however, the Haas is apparently good enough for a place in the top ten right away.

Schumacher's new team-mate, engaged for the second round of testing for the dismissed Russian Nikita Mazepin, made it into the final round in seventh place, where he finished seventh in good company behind the strong Valtteri Bottas in the Alfa Romeo and ahead of Fernando Alonso (Alpine).

Mick Schumacher "not satisfied"

The 29-year-old Dane, retired by Haas in 2020 after 119 Grands Prix, took half a second off Schumacher Junior.

The son of the record world champion made minor driving mistakes at the start of his second season in the premier class, which led to the significant deficit.

“I'm not satisfied, my feeling in the car wasn't right, it was like that in the morning.

There were a few mistakes," Schumacher told private broadcaster Sky, "I hope to win a few points."

Last-minute driver Nico Hülkenberg pulled off an amazing surprise.

For Sebastian Vettel, who was infected with the corona virus, the Rhinelander jumped into the Aston Martin for the first time on Friday and promptly beat teammate Lance Stroll, who had contested all the tests, on Saturday.

Hülkenberg was last in a Formula 1 car at the Nürburgring race in October 2020 and flew from Germany to Bahrain on Thursday.

"I'm satisfied with the laps without the preparation," said Hülkenberg, "I hit the laps cleanly." Emmericher was about 0.05 seconds short of making it into the second lap.

However, 17th place did not meet the team's expectations.

Aston Martin seems to have dropped back to second from bottom over a lap.

Only Nicholas Latifi in the Williams was even slower than Stroll.

Hulkenberg also drove faster than McLaren driver Daniel Ricciardo (18).

The second McLaren with Lando Norris at the wheel also did not meet the team's expectations: 13th place. The racing team has massive brake problems.