Formula One championship leader Sebastian Vettel put Ferrari on pole position for Sunday's Bahrain Grand Prix with team mate Kimi Raikkonen alongside on the front row.
"The car is quick and that usually helps. For now I'm chuffed and for the team as well as we had some issues this morning and we overcame them," said the German.
Reigning world champion Lewis Hamilton qualified fourth for Mercedes, one behind team mate Valtteri Bottas, but has a five place grid penalty due to an unscheduled gearbox change.
Australia's Daniel Ricciardo's Red Bull will start the race fourth on the grid.
"It's not going to be the easiest tomorrow that's for sure. I'll give it everything I've got," said the Briton.
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"The goal was to get P1 (pole) today but the Ferraris were just too quick. Valtteri put in a good time at the end but I wasn't able to capitalise on the new tyres at the end."
Red Bull's Max Verstappen was the big absentee from the top 10, the 20-year-old Dutch driver spinning off and into the barriers in the first phase of qualifying, leaving him 15th on the starting grid.
"It was like an on and off switch and suddenly is span the rear tyres up quite aggressively and I spun," he said.
Toro Rosso's French driver Pierre Gasly did make the final session and will line up fifth in a stunning performance for his Honda-powered team.
