Three-time world champion Verstappen will begin his title defence from first place on the grid in Sakhir after his 1min29.179s final flying lap eclipsed main threat Leclerc by 0.228s.
Leclerc's session-topping Q2 run, a 1m29.165s, would have been quick enough to deny Verstappen the top spot. However, the Ferrari driver dropped time during the final sector in Q3.
The Monegasque put this down to Ferrari 'losing the rhythm' with its tyre strategy that left Leclerc to wade into the last part of the battle with a scrubbed set of soft Pirellis.
Leclerc explained: "In Q2, I did a [1m29.1s lap] which was more or less the lap time that Max did in Q3. So, it was in the car.
"Just, I think we lost a little bit the rhythm with a used set of C3 [tyres] in Q3. Then you have to re-adapt to the new tyres, and I lost a little bit there. But all in all, it's been a positive qualifying."
Leclerc, who claimed pole in Bahrain in 2019 and 2022, reckoned that the new SF-24 had not properly found its grove until qualifying, when it finally settled in a "sweet spot".
Source: Autosport