F1 Driver Form: Bahrain Grand Prix

Two current drivers have claimed their maiden pole position in Bahrain, while five current drivers have previously won at Bahrain International Circuit. Here’s everything you need to know about each driver’s history at the Bahrain Grand Prix!

🇳🇱 Max VERSTAPPEN

Max Verstappen won the Bahrain Grand Prix for the first time in 2023. It marked his third top three finish at Bahrain International Circuit, having finished runner-up in the 2020 and 2021 Bahrain Grands Prix. In addition to his podium finishes, Verstappen also picked up points at the track with sixth place in 2016 and fourth in 2019.

Half of Verstappen’s ten appearances at the circuit have ended in retirements. He retired on his first appearance in 2015, and on his first appearance with Red Bull in 2017. He was out after only three laps in 2018 and crashed out on the opening lap in the 2020 Sakhir Grand Prix. While in contention for the win at the 2022 Bahrain Grand Prix, Verstappen’s car broke down with only a handful of laps remaining.

Verstappen has reached Q3 at all of the last six races at Bahrain International Circuit. He recorded his first pole position at the track in 2021 and secured a second pole here in 2023. In addition, Verstappen also started on the front row in 2022. He’s qualified in the top three at all of the last five races held in Bahrain and has not been out-qualified by a team-mate here since 2018.

MAX VERSTAPPEN’S BAHRAIN GRAND PRIX FORM

🇲🇽 Sergio PEREZ

Sergio Perez became a Grand Prix winner at Bahrain International Circuit in 2020, emerging victorious in the one-off Sakhir Grand Prix. The Mexican could have finished on the podium in both of 2020’s races at the track, but an engine failure saw him retire from the Bahrain Grand Prix, bringing an end to his 100% finish rate at the circuit. Perez has two additional podium finish here, having finished third for Force India in 2014 and as runner-up to team-mate Max Verstappen in 2023.

On his Red Bull debut in 2021, Perez could not get into Q3 and started from the pit lane following car issues on the formation lap. He recovered to fifth place in the race, earning himself the Driver of the Day accolade. In 2022, Perez recorded his second DNF at the track, retiring in the closing stages when set for another podium finish.

Last year, Perez recorded his best qualifying result at Bahrain International Circuit to date, with second place. He had previously qualified in the top five on four occasions. Perex has reached Q3 on six of his 13 appearances in Bahrain.

Of the Bahrain Grands Prix which he has completed, 2012 and 2018 are the only seasons in which Perez has lost positions over the course of a race in Bahrain. 2023 marked the first time he finished where he started at the venue.

SERGIO PEREZ’S BAHRAIN GRAND PRIX HISTORY

🇬🇧 Lewis HAMILTON

Coming out on top in a close fight with Max Verstappen at the season-opening race, Lewis Hamilton recorded his fifth Bahrain Grand Prix victory in 2021.

Excluding the 2020 Sakhir Grand Prix – which he missed following a positive coronavirus test – Hamilton has finished on the podium on all nine appearances at Bahrain International Circuit between 2014 and 2022. His fifth place finish in 2023 put an end to the streak. Hamilton has had 11 podium finishes here in total and has failed to score only once – when he finished 13^th in 2008.

Hamilton has qualified on the front row at the Bahrain Grand Prix seven times, including three pole positions. 2023 marked the first time that he qualified outside of the top five at the circuit, though he started only ninth due to a grid penalty in 2018. He has been out-qualified only five times in his 16 appearances at the venue.

2008, 2012 and 2016 are the only years in which Hamilton has finished in a worse position than where he has started in Bahrain. 2022 marked the first Bahrain Grand Prix in which Hamilton did not lead a lap since 2013.

LEWIS HAMILTON’S BAHRAIN GRAND PRIX HISTORY

🇬🇧 George RUSSELL

George Russell made his first appearance with Mercedes at the 2020 Sakhir Grand Prix on a one-off basis as Lewis Hamilton’s replacement. Having narrowly missed out on pole to team-mate Valtteri Bottas, Russell stormed ahead at the start and maintained the lead for most of the evening, until pit stop issues robbed him of a likely victory. Nevertheless, Russell finished ninth and set the Fastest Lap, recording the first points of his Formula 1 career.

On his second appearance with Mercedes in 2022 – his first appearance as a full-time Mercedes driver – Russell finished in fourth place, which remains his best result to date at the track. He finished fourth in 2023.

Russell has a 100% finish rate at Bahrain International Circuit, having never finished below 15th place. The 2020 Sakhir Grand Prix and the 2023 Bahrain Grand Prix are the only Bahrain races in which Russell has finished in a worse position than where he started.

Prior to F1, Russell competed here in Formula 2 in 2018, finishing a best of fifth in the Feature Race.

GEORGE RUSSELL’S BAHRAIN GRAND PRIX HISTORY

🇲🇨 Charles LECLERC

Charles Leclerc recorded his first Bahrain Grand Prix victory in 2022. The Monegasque driver took his maiden Formula 1 pole position at the 2019 Bahrain Grand Prix and was set for his first victory too, until a late race engine issue saw him able to finish only third – still picking up his first podium finish.

Leclerc has failed to score in Bahrain three times. He came home 12th in 2018, crashed out on Lap 1 at the 2020 Sakhir Grand Prix and retired late on in the race in 2023.

Leclerc has taken two pole positions in Bahrain, in 2019 and 2022. He’s recorded three further top five qualifications here, with third place in 2023 and fourth place at both the 2020 Sakhir Grand Prix and the 2020 Bahrain Grand Prix. He qualified on the back row on his first appearance here in 2018.

CHARLES LECLERC’S BAHRAIN GRAND PRIX HISTORY

🇪🇸 Carlos SAINZ

Until 2020, Carlos Sainz had never previously scored at Bahrain International Circuit, having recorded four retirements in his first five appearances at the venue. He has since turned his fortunes around at the circuit, having scored in all of the last five races at the track.

Sainz recorded two top five places in 2020’s pair of Bahrain races and finished eighth here on his Ferrari debut in 2021. In 2022, Sainz finished on the Bahrain Grand Prix podium for the first time, finishing as runner-up to his team-mate. He came home fourth in 2023.

In 2022, Sainz qualified in the top six in Bahrain for the first time. He did so by qualifying in third place, his best qualifying result to date at the track. He has had seven Q3 appearances at the track in total from his ten appearances. Sainz has out-qualified his team-mate here only three times.

CARLOS SAINZ’S BAHRAIN GRAND PRIX HISTORY

🇬🇧 Lando NORRIS

Lando Norris held a 100% points scoring rate in Bahrain until the 2022 Bahrain Grand Prix, where he finished 15th. He failed to score here last year too, with a 17^th place finish. Norris’ best result here is fourth, recorded in both the 2020 and 2021 Bahrain Grands Prix.

The 2020 Sakhir Grand Prix and the 2022 & 2023 Bahrain Grands Prix are the only races at the circuit at which Norris has missed out on reaching Q3 at the track. His best qualifying result here is seventh, recorded in 2021. 2022 marked the first time Norris out-qualified his team-mate in Bahrain. He did so again in 2023.

The 2022 Bahrain Grand Prix was the first time that Norris failed to gain at least three positions from where he started at this circuit. He lost six positions in 2023.

Prior to his F1 career, Norris took victory on his Formula 2 debut at the Bahrain International Circuit in 2018. It proved to be the only win of his solitary F2 season. He also finished fourth in the Sprint Race.

LANDO NORRIS’ BAHRAIN GRAND PRIX HISTORY

🇦🇺 Oscar PIASTRI

Oscar Piastri retired on his Formula 1 debut at the 2023 Bahrain Grand Prix. It was a disappointing start to the Australian’s career. After qualifying only 18^th, Piastri was the first retirement from the race on Lap 14.

Bahrain International Circuit is the track at which Oscar Piastri drove a Formula 1 car for the first time, partaking in his first test with Renault in 2020. Piastri raced in Bahrain in Formula 2 in 2021. He took his first victory of the season in the second Sprint Race following a late pit stop for fresh tyres and finished fifth in the first race of the weekend. He failed to finish the Feature Race.

OSCAR PIASTRI’S BAHRAIN GRAND PRIX HISTORY

🇪🇸 Fernando ALONSO

Fernando Alonso is the only driver present on the grid at the first Bahrain Grand Prix in 2004 who is still competing in F1 in 2024. Alonso has won the Bahrain Grand Prix three times. He took back-to-back victories in his championship winning years, before winning on his Ferrari debut in 2010.

On his first appearance with Aston Martin at the 2023 Bahrain Grand Prix, Alonso finished in third place. It was the first time he finished on the podium in Bahrain without winning the race and marked his first top three finish at the track since his 2010 win.

Until 2021, Alonso held a 100% finish record at the circuit. 2008, 2015 and 2017 are the only other years in which he has failed to score at the track.

Alonso took pole position at the track in 2005 and qualified in the top ten in all eight seasons thereafter. In 2021, he reached Q3 at the circuit for the first time since 2014. He qualified eighth in 2022 and bettered that with fifth place in 2023 – his best Saturday result at the track since 2013.

From 15 Bahrain Grand Prix appearances, Alonso has been out-qualified by his team-mate only four times – most recently in 2014.

FERNANDO ALONSO’S BAHRAIN GRAND PRIX HISTORY

🇨🇦 Lance STROLL

Lance Stroll equalled his career-best result with third place at the 2020 Sakhir Grand Prix. It was the first time that he scored at Bahrain International Circuit. He has scored only twice since, with a tenth place finish in the 2021 Bahrain Grand Prix and sixth in 2023.

Stroll has recorded two retirements at the Bahrain Grand Prix, in 2017 – when he was taken out by Carlos Sainz at the pit exit – and in 2020 – when his car was flipped in an incident with Daniil Kvyat.

Stroll has reached Q3 in Bahrain three times – at the 2020 Sakhir Grand Prix, the 2021 Bahrain Grand Prix and the 2023 Bahrain Grand Prix. He has had three Q1 exits at the track.

2021 is the only year in which Stroll has out-qualified his team-mate in Bahrain. The good news is that every time he has finished a race here, he has never lost a position from where he has started. In fact, in every race except the 2021 Bahrain Grand Prix, he has gained at least two positions from his starting spot.

LANCE STROLL’S BAHRAIN GRAND PRIX HISTORY

🇫🇷 Esteban OCON

Esteban Ocon recorded his first podium finish at the 2020 Sakhir Grand Prix, finishing in second place. Ocon lost his 100% finishing rate at Bahrain International Circuit at the 2023 Bahrain Grand Prix. The 2021 Bahrain Grand Prix, in which he finished 13^th, is the only other time in his six appearances at the circuit that Ocon failed to score.

2023 marked the first time Ocon reached Q3 at the Bahrain Grand Prix since 2020. He recorded his best qualifying result at the circuit in 2020, with seventh place. Ocon has recorded one Q1 exit at the track, in 2021. 2023 was the first time he out-qualified his team-mate in Bahrain since 2018.

ESTEBAN OCON’S BAHRAIN GRAND PRIX HISTORY

🇫🇷 Pierre GASLY

Pierre Gasly’s best Bahrain Grand Prix result came on his first visit to the circuit in 2018, when he finished fourth for Toro Rosso. He’s scored three times since then, with eight and sixth places in the 2019 and 2020 Bahrain Grands Prix and with ninth place on his Alpine debut in 2023.

Gasly failed to score in the 2020 Sakhir Grand Prix and retired from both the 2021 and 2022 Bahrain Grands Prix.

Gasly recorded his first Q1 exit in Bahrain last year. It’s one of only two times that the Frenchman has failed to reach Q3 here, the other being in 2019. He set a new personal best qualifying result at the circuit in 2021 with fifth place. From seven appearances, he has been out-qualified by a team-mate on three occasions.

PIERRE GASLY’S BAHRAIN GRAND PRIX HISTORY

🇹🇭 Alex ALBON

Alex Albon has raced in Bahrain five times previously. The 2022 Bahrain Grand Prix is the only time from those five appearances at the track in which he has failed to score. His best result to date here is third place, recorded in the 2020 Bahrain Grand Prix. That race is the only time to date that Albon has reached Q3 at the circuit, qualifying in fourth place.

Albon was eliminated in Q2 on his four other appearances at the circuit, qualifying 12th in 2019 and at the 2020 Sakhir Grand Prix, 14th at the 2022 Bahrain Grand Prix and 15^th in 2023. Albon has always gained at least one position from where he has started at Bahrain International Circuit, with a personal best of six positions gained in the 2020 Sakhir Grand Prix.

ALEX ALBON’S BAHRAIN GRAND PRIX HISTORY

🇺🇸 Logan SARGEANT

Logan Sargeant made his Formula 1 debut at the 2023 Bahrain Grand Prix, finishing in 12^th place – two positions behind his Williams team-mate. Sargeant missed out on appearing in Q2 by the narrowest of margins. He set the same lap time as Lando Norris in 15^th place but, as Norris set the time first, Norris was the one who made it through to the next stage of qualifying.

Prior to F1, Sargeant raced at Bahrain International Circuit in Formula 2 in 2022. After qualifying fourth, he finished sixth in the Sprint Race and seventh in the Feature Race.

LOGAN SARGEANT’S BAHRAIN GRAND PRIX HISTORY

🇯🇵 Yuki TSUNODA

2023 marked Yuki Tsunoda’s first point-less visit to the Bahrain Grand Prix. He finished 11^th, just over a second away from tenth place. Tsunoda scored on both previous appearances at the Bahrain Grand Prix. After finishing ninth on his Formula 1 debut in 2021, Tsunoda went one better in 2022 and finished in eighth place.

He is yet to reach Q3 at the circuit, having been eliminated in Q2 in both 2021 and 2023 and having exited in Q1 in 2022. 2023 was the first time he has out-qualified a team-mate at the track.

Tsunoda has further past experience at the track, having partaken in the four F2 races at the circuit in 2020. While on the first weekend Tsunoda finished sixth and 15th in the Feature Race and Sprint Race respectively, he won the Feature Race over the Sakhir Grand Prix weekend and finished as runner-up in the Sprint Race on his final F2 outing.

YUKI TSUNODA’S BAHRAIN GRAND PRIX HISTORY

🇦🇺 Daniel RICCIARDO

Daniel Ricciardo is yet to finish on the podium at the Bahrain Grand Prix, but recorded fourth place results in both 2014 and 2016. Ricciardo has finished in the points on seven of his 12 appearances at the circuit, all seven of those being top seven results.

He failed to score on his first two appearances in 2012 and 2013 and finished only 14^th on his most recent Bahrain Grand Prix appearance with McLaren in 2022. Ricciardo recorded successive retirements in 2018 and 2019.

2022 marked the first time in the Australian’s career that he was out-qualified by a team-mate in Bahrain. Ricciardo’s best qualifying result in Bahrain is third, recorded in 2014. 2013, 2019 and 2022 are the only seasons in which he has not reached Q3 here, with 2022 being the only time that he has exited in Q1.

DANIEL RICCIARDO’S BAHRAIN GRAND PRIX HISTORY

🇫🇮 Valtteri BOTTAS

Valtteri Bottas is yet to win a race at Bahrain International Circuit, but has scored on all but one of his 12 appearances at the track. He finished on the podium here in every season between 2017 and 2019, but finished only eighth in both of 2020’s races at the circuit. He returned to the podium in 2021, finishing in third place.

On his Alfa Romeo debut in 2022, Bottas finished sixth, recording the team’s best result in Bahrain since 2008. He scored points again last year, with an eighth place finish. 2013, when he finished 14th, is the only time that Bottas has failed to score at the track.

Bottas took the first pole position of his career at the 2017 Bahrain Grand Prix. He also started from the front row in both of 2020’s races at the circuit, recording his second pole here at the Sakhir Grand Prix.

The 2019, 2020 and 2021 Bahrain Grands Prix are the only occasions on which Bottas has been out-qualified by his team-mate at the track, while 2013 and 2023 are the only times he has not reached Q3.

VALTTERI BOTTAS’ BAHRAIN GRAND PRIX HISTORY

🇨🇳 ZHOU Guanyu

Zhou Guanyu scored a point on his Formula 1 debut at the 2022 Bahrain Grand Prix. After qualifying 15th, Zhou finished the race in tenth place. Zhou was unable to repeat his points-scoring form at the track on his second appearance in 2023, where he finished only 16^th. He was out-qualified by team-mate Valtteri Bottas for a second year in succession but qualified two positions higher than in the previous year.

Prior to entering F1, Zhou had previously raced nine times at this circuit, in Formula 2. Zhou has recorded four podium finishes at the track, with his last appearance – the 2021 Feature Race – resulting in a win.

ZHOU GUANYU’S BAHRAIN GRAND PRIX HISTORY

🇩🇰 Kevin MAGNUSSEN

Kevin Magnussen had a memorable return to Formula 1 at the 2022 Bahrain Grand Prix with Haas, where he equalled his previous best result at Bahrain International Circuit with fifth place. He had previously finished fifth here with Haas in 2018.

Those two fifth places are Magnussen’s only points-scoring appearances in Bahrain. The Dane has recorded two retirements here, in 2014 and 2017, while his five other starts have resulted in finishes outside of the points.

Magnussen has reached Q3 on four occasions in Bahrain and has been eliminated in Q1 on his other five appearances. His best qualifying result here is sixth, recorded in 2019. He also lined up sixth on the grid in 2018. 2014, 2017 and 2023 are the only occasions on which Magnussen has been out-qualified by his team-mate at the circuit.

Of the races he’s finished here, the 2019 Bahrain Grand Prix is the only one in which Magnussen has finished in a worse position than where he started.

KEVIN MAGNUSSEN’S BAHRAIN GRAND PRIX HISTORY

🇩🇪 Nico HULKENBERG

Nico Hulkenberg last scored at the Bahrain Grand Prix in 2018, when he finished sixth. It was his third points-scoring race from 11 appearances at the track. His best result here is fifth, recorded with Force India in 2014. His DNF in the closing stages of the 2019 Bahrain Grand Prix is the only time Hulkenberg has failed to reach the chequered flag at Bahrain International Circuit.

Hulkenberg has reached Q3 on five occasions at the Bahrain Grand Prix, including last year, with a best qualifying result of seventh in 2017. He was eliminated in Q1 on both of his 2019 and 2022 Bahrain Grand Prix appearances, though he out-qualified team-mate Lance Stroll at Aston Martin in the latter year when deputising for Sebastian Vettel.

NICO HULKENBERG’S BAHRAIN GRAND PRIX HISTORY