Sakhir Grand Prix LIVE: Valtteri Bottas starts ahead of George Russell and Max Verstappen

Sakhir Grand Prix LIVE

-Lewis Hamilton absent after contracting coronavirus

-Lights out at 5.10pm

-Updates will appear here from the race start

Starting grid

1. Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes)
2. George Russell (Mercedes)
3. Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
4. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
5. Sergio Perez (Racing Point)
6. Daniil Kvyat (Alpha Tauri)
7. Daniel Ricciardo (Renault)
8. Carlos Sainz (McLaren)
9. Pierre Gasly (Alpha Tauri)
10. Lance Stroll (Racing Point)
11. Esteban Ocon (Renault)
12. Alex Albon (Red Bull)
13. Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari)
14. Antonio Giovinazzi (Alfa Romeo)
15. Lando Norris (McLaren)
16. Kevin Magussen (Haas)
17. Nicholas Latifi (Williams)
18. Jack Aitken (Williams)
19. Kimi Raikkonen (Alfa Romeo)
20. Pietro Fittipaldi (Haas)

Sakhir Grand Prix preview

George Russell will start in second for the Sakhir Grand Prix after narrowly missing out on pole position to Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas.

Russell believes he lost the crucial lap time on turn one.

“Valtteri has been taking loads of lap time out of me [there],” Russell said.

“But after that, from Turn Four onwards, I felt great and the car was on rails and a real joy to drive. Turn One was really letting me down and I am sure I am going to look at the data and it is going to frustrate me.”

Mercedes chief Toto Wolff has backed Russell and says there is no pressure on him to perform this weekend.

“George has no pressure at all,” Wolff said.

“He has nothing to lose and Verstappen is not going to be happy that there is a new kid on the block standing in front of him.