Lewis Hamilton secured second on the grid for the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia and faces a considerable test in staying with Max Verstappen during the 56-lap race at the Sepang International Circuit.
Lewis Hamilton will attempt to “hold on to” Max Verstappen during the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, after the pair claimed the first and second on the grid.
At the Sepang International Circuit, Hamilton will line up alongside Verstappen on the first row for the first time since the Hungarian Grand Prix in 2023.
The Dutchman clinched pole by three-tenths of a second from the Ferrari driver, but Hamilton was quick to highlight how different the requirements of the 56-lap race will be from the grid-setting session.
With an abrasive track surface and oppressive temperatures, it will be a war of attrition and the winner may well be decided by whose tyres survive the best.
I’m much happier with where the car is, but tomorrow is a completely different ball game, making these tyres last around this track,” Hamilton said after qualifying.
“They’re overheating from the get-go, so every little bit of wheel spin you have, every little snap you have, depending on the wind, makes a difference in how far you’re going to go.”
Hamilton’s plan to stay with Verstappen
The final tweak from Hamilton’s plethora of set-up changes across the weekend thus far opened the door for his impressive qualifying effort, but he knows keeping with Verstappen in the race will be a considerable challenge.
The RB22 displayed strong long-run pace in practice, building on a recent trend that has seen Red Bull increasingly formidable in race trim.
“But I like to think we’ve got a good balance,” the seven-time F1 drivers’ champion added.
“Max was really quick on his long runs, so I’ll just try my best to hold on to him tomorrow.”