Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands prepares for the first practice session ahead of the Formula One Bahrain Grand Prix at the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir, Bahrain, Feb 29, 2024. (PHOTO / AP)

SAKHIR - Red Bull's reigning world champion Max Verstappen beat Charles Leclerc to the first pole position of the Formula One season on Friday despite his Ferrari rival setting the fastest lap in Bahrain Grand Prix qualifying.

The 26-year-old Dutch driver secured top spot on the grid with a one minute and 29.179 second lap in the final session of the qualifying hour.

Leclerc’s best lap, a 1:29.165, was quicker but the Monegasque set the time in qualifying's second phase and was unable to repeat it in the top 10 shootout when it really mattered.

Red Bull Racing's Dutch driver Max Verstappen exits the garage during the qualifying session of the Bahrain Formula One Grand Prix at the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir on March 1, 2024. (PHOTO / AFP)

"The track had a lot of grip but with the wind, it's been tricky to get the whole lap together," said Verstappen, winner of 19 of 22 races last season, after taking his 33rd career pole.

"Q3 was difficult, but happy to be on pole. To be honest it was a little unexpected but in qualifying the car came to us."

ALSO READ: Verstappen says F1 is over the limit with 24-race calendar

Verstappen had gone into the weekend as clear favorite to make a dominant start to his bid for a fourth straight championship.

Practice offered hope of a closer contest, however, and qualifying duly delivered.

George Russell qualified third in his Mercedes, making it three different teams in the top three.

Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands (center) who qualified for pole position, stands with Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc of Monaco (left) who placed second and Mercedes driver George Russell of Britain, who placed third during qualification ahead of the Formula One Bahrain Grand Prix at the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir, Bahrain, March 1, 2024. (PHOTO / AP)

Carlos Sainz went quickest for Ferrari in the opening session before Leclerc set the timesheets alight with his qualifying fastest.

Double world champion Fernando Alonso, who eventually qualified sixth, also showed glimmers of speed on his sole run in the pole position shootout only to lose time in the final corner.

READ MORE: F1 starts longest season with Red Bull still the team to beat

"I'm a bit disappointed, we did a good qualifying but it's been tricky until now," said Leclerc.

"We are in a better place than a year ago," he added. Ferrari finished third overall last year after a slow start with Leclerc retiring in two of the first three races including Bahrain.

Verstappen's Mexican team mate Sergio Perez will start fifth alongside Alonso on the third row of the grid.

FIA president Mohammed bin Sulayem (left) speaks with Red Bull Racing's Dutch driver Max Verstappen after the qualifying session of the Bahrain Formula One Grand Prix at the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir on March 1, 2024. (PHOTO / AFP)

McLaren team mates Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri will share the fourth row of the grid in seventh and eighth.

Seven-times world champion Lewis Hamilton will start his final season with Mercedes, before moving to Ferrari in 2025, in ninth place with Haas's Nico Hulkenberg a surprise 10th for the US -owned team.

"It's not the greatest of feelings," Hamilton told Sky Sports. "But I am excited to be here... it's amazing for us to have a car that we can fight with. It just really lights the fire within us drivers."

Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands gets out of his car after he clocked the fastest time during qualification ahead of the Formula One Bahrain Grand Prix at the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir, Bahrain, March 1, 2024. (PHOTO / AP)

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff said the team, fastest in Thursday's second practice when Verstappen was only sixth, had prioritized race pace over single lap performance in their cars' set-up.

"Yesterday it looked better but we put the car in a sweet spot for tomorrow's race, at least this is what we hope," said the Austrian.

The qualifying hour threw up few surprises and was largely incident free.

Renault-owned Alpine put on a dismal showing with Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly propping up the timesheets. They will line up on the last row of the grid.

Drivers line-up in the pit lane at the start of the qualifying session of the Bahrain Formula One Grand Prix at the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir on March 1, 2024. (PHOTO / AFP)

"It's a tough situation for anyone to be at the back, yeah we are not happy with it as a whole," said Ocon.

"It's very important to be united, keep the chin up and move forward."

READ MORE: Verstappen sets ominous pace as F1 starts testing in Bahrain

The Bahrain Grand Prix marks the start of a record 24-race season for Formula One and could mark the end of a record 39-race run at the top of the championship standings for Verstappen.

The race and the following round at Jeddah in Saudi Arabia a week later are being held on a Saturday to allow the Middle Eastern kingdoms to host races before the start of Ramadan.