Upgrades backfire as Wolff admits Mercedes going backwards

SEPANG: Mercedes' team upgrade package failed to deliver during qualifying for the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, as Max Verstappen secured his first pole position of the season for Red Bull. Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton also made it to the front row alongside Verstappen, while championship leader Kimi Antolinelli managed a fourth-place finish for Mercedes.

Antolinelli's teammate George Russell started seventh on the grid due to Red Bull's five-place grid penalty. Toto Wolff admitted that the team had been caught off guard by the car's performance issues, citing hot weather and a different tarmac surface than usual. The team's struggles on the straights and understeer issues at low speeds have proven troublesome, and the upgrade package appears to have backfired.

Despite the setback, Mercedes remains optimistic about the potential of their upgrades, but the team must now focus on rectifying the situation before the race.