SEPANG: Mercedes boss Toto Wolff was left scratching his head after his team's upgrade package fell flat in qualifying for the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia on Saturday, with Red Bull's Max Verstappen claiming his first pole position of the season.
Verstappen became the first driver this year to put a car without a Mercedes engine on pole, with Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton joining him on the front row at the Sepang International Circuit.
Championship leader Kimi Antonelli could only manage fourth-fastest for Mercedes but will move up to third due to a five-place grid penalty for Red Bull's Isack Hadjar.
Antonelli's team mate George Russell was eighth fastest in qualifying and will start seventh on the grid.
