VETTEL LEADS AS HAM FALLS

LEWIS HAMILTON will start the Bahrain Grand Prix from only ninth as his rival Sebastian Vettel stormed to pole position.

Defending champion Hamilton (below) has been off the pace all weekend and, while he posted the fourth quickest lap in a thrill-a-minute qualifying session, he will be shunted down the order following his penalty for a gearbox change.

Kimi Raikkonen joins Vettel at the sharp end as Ferrari secured a front-row lockout. Hamilton’s Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas was third.

Vettel was trailing Raikkonen following the opening runs in the desert, but the championship leader, who beat Hamilton at the opening race in Australia, delivered the goods when it mattered most.

Vettel finished 0.134seconds clear of Raikkonen, with Bottas marginally behind.

Hamilton was 0.262secs down on Vettel’s best lap.

Vettel said: “I was very happy that I got the second run and I got it clean. The car has been excellent all weekend so far, so I am looking forward to the race.

“I feel good now, but tomorrow is a different story and it is a long race.” Daniel Ricciardo lines up in fifth for Red Bull, but his team-mate Max Verstappen had a 140mph shunt and will start 15th.

McLaren had little to cheer with Fernando

Alonso 13th and Stoffel Vandoorne one place further back.