Bahrain Qualifying Report

 I was definitely surprised by how close the field is during qualifying, which does make me wonder why the backmarkers aren't closer to the mid-field if such leaps are possible.

LeClerc's 4th place shows that he is determined not to be shown up by his new team mate, Sainz and that Ferrari have spent their development tokens judiciously and can hopefully bring the race to Red Bull if not Mercedes.

Back a place, in 5th, it was a great showing from Gasly, who continues to drive his Alpha Tauri into contention and put the car in better places than it deserves.

We have high expectations from the McLarens this year.  They are covered in sponsors, so there should be some decent money being spent by the team on improvements and their trajectory last season was up, up, up.  This year we will be watching the battle between determined youthfulness and experienced senior (much like Alonso and Stoffel or Button and Magnussen/Perez/Hamilton, so McLaren's signature driver line up).  Ricciardo secured 6th ahead of his team mate Norris, which is a little victory straight off the blocks.

Also outdriving the car was Alonso in 9th place.  It's not surprising he is in front of over-hyped Wolff-backed Ocon.  Even though the prodigal son returns to Renault, I'm sure the personnel comings and goings and technical changes alone mean it is not the same team and he is not jumping back in his championship-winning car to regain former glories.  I'm not going to hold his age against him (much), historians will wave the 1950s drivers Farina, Fangio, Chiron and Fagioli at you, who were taking home the silverware into their 50s.  Brabham, Hill (Graham) and Mansell were winning in their 40s but with the whippet-thin, muscle and sinew F1 physique required in this millennium, is 40 too old now?  There is also his long sabbatical to consider, whilst the list of driving competitions entered is impressive there are not many trophies to show for it and it was dogged with technical difficulties.  So well done on 9th.

Going Up

👍 Murray Walker quote on the Williams' halo.  With F1 becoming increasing multi-national, could a plucky British attitude garner Williams more support?

👍 Mazepin's spin.  Ensuring Russell a place in Q2 through a yellow flag.

👍 Minardi - really doing very well.

👍 Verstappen - seems to be growing into his face at last

Going Down

👎 Mazepin - just looks like a wrong 'un

👎 Perez - finishes 11th and beaten by the Red Bull Second Seat Underdog Gasly.  They chose the wrong tires.

👎 F1 Crackerjack mash-up - the high jinx of pushing David Coulthard's face into his 50th birthday cake by Max Verstappen leaves all of pining for the glamour of racing back in the day.