This is what the provisional starting grid looks like!

F1 News

27 March 2021 at 18:38
Last update 27 March 2021 at 20:41
  • GPblog.com

After qualifying, it's always a matter of waiting to see if the result will actually be the starting grid, but in Bahrain we can be sure of that this time. The yellow flag situations and drivers going off track have all been dealt with by race control and the chances of anyone needing to fit new engine parts before tomorrow is extremely small.

So Max Verstappen starts the 2021 season as he finished 2020: with pole position. He'll be shadowed by both Mercedes drivers and behind them, the snappy fight for the subtop between Ferrari, AlphaTauri and McLaren takes place.

Drivers in the backfield to keep an eye on

Further back are some drivers who, based on the speed their team has shown elsewhere, should be able to come forward. Sergio Perez starting in 11th, Yuki Tsunoda in 13th and Sebastian Vettel in 18th are all drivers to keep an eye on.

Provisional starting grid

1. Max Verstappen 
 2. Lewis Hamilton
3. Valtteri Bottas 
 4. Charles Leclerc
5. Pierre Gasly 
 6. Daniel Ricciardo
7. Lando Norris 
 8. Carlos Sainz
9. Fernando Alonso 
 10. Lance Stroll
11. Sergio Perez 
 12. Antonio Giovinazzi
13. Yuki Tsunoda 
 14. Kimi Raikkonen
15. George Russell 
 16. Esteban Ocon
17. Nicholas Latifi 
 18. Sebastian Vettel
19. Mick Schumacher 
 20. Nikita Mazepin.