Argentine driver Franco Colapinto came 16th in Formula 2 qualifying in Bahrain. He will start from that position in the sprint race and the main race, prior to Formula 1.

Indian Kushi Maini took pole position for the first race of the year. The Williams Academy driver had been second in the training session earlier in the day, but struggled to adapt to the changes on the track in the Bahrain GP. He said: “It is not superior aerodynamically, we are skating much more, we have less total load.”