Oscar Piastri claimed pole position for the Bahrain Grand Prix as McLaren team-mate Lando Norris qualified only sixth.
McLaren’s rivals believed that this would be the weekend which would show the advantage of the papaya cars and they duly topped all practice sessions to suggest a two-way battle for pole.
Piastri shone brightest under the lights at the Sakhir circuit to clinch pole but as rival cars ramped up the times at the end of the session, Norris could not find the answer.
George Russell pulled out a sensational lap to put his Mercedes on the front row for Sunday’s race, with Charles Leclerc third for Ferrari.
Championship leader Norris was also outgunned by Russell’s team-mate Kimi Antonelli and Alpine’s Pierre Gasly.
Max Verstappen turned the tables on McLaren with a stunning lap to take pole in Japan last weekend but the four-time world champion could produce no such heroics here.
The Dutchman complained about issues with his brakes and qualified only seventh.
Lewis Hamilton also struggled again and will start from ninth.
McLaren, majority owned by the Bahrain sovereign wealth fund, have never won this race but have a great chance to spark huge celebrations in the gulf state on Sunday.
The reigning constructors’ champions won the first two races of the season – one each for Norris and Piastri – before Verstappen’s surprise Suzuka success a week ago.
Norris leads the Dutchman by one point in the championship standings with Piastri a further 12 points adrift ahead of Sunday’s race.
Norris led the way in the first qualifying session before a crash early on in the second for Haas’ Esteban Ocon brought out a red flag.
The two Red Bull cars only just reached Q3, with Verstappen ninth and Yuki Tsunoda 10th, as Piastri led the way from Norris at the top of the charts.
It was first blood to Piastri in the final duel as Russell, who had previously looked way off the pace, produced a superb lap to split the McLarens.
Piastri went faster again on his final run but a scruffy lap from Norris left him at risk as his rivals took advantage.
