Saudi Arabian GP Qualifying: Verstappen Secures Pole Position

Max Verstappen achieved a brilliant pole position in a thrilling qualifying session for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, following a dramatic crash by championship contender Lando Norris.

Verstappen edged out Oscar Piastri by a mere 0.010 seconds with an exceptional lap, echoing his performance in Suzuka two weeks prior, where he converted a pole position into a race victory.

Norris will start from 10th place after spinning and colliding with the wall in the first sector during Q3`s initial runs. He expressed his frustration, calling himself an `idiot` over the radio, aware of the potential points loss to Piastri or Verstappen in Sunday`s race.

Norris holds a narrow lead in the standings, just three points ahead of Piastri and eight points ahead of Verstappen. Verstappen`s pole demonstrated once again his ability to compete at the highest level, even with a car perceived to be slightly less competitive than the McLaren.

George Russell briefly held pole position but ultimately qualified third, ahead of Ferrari`s Charles Leclerc and Mercedes` young driver Kimi Antonelli.

Carlos Sainz delivered a strong performance for Williams, securing sixth place, while Lewis Hamilton narrowly avoided elimination in both Q1 and Q2 to qualify seventh.

Red Bull`s Yuki Tsunoda and Alpine`s Pierre Gasly will line up in eighth and ninth, respectively, representing the immediate obstacles Norris will need to overcome in what could prove to be a crucial Grand Prix early in the Formula 1 season.

How Verstappen Capitalized on Norris`s Crash

All leading drivers progressed to Q3, with McLaren appearing to be the favorites for pole position after dominating practice sessions, similar to the Bahrain event the previous week where Piastri qualified first and secured victory.

Mirroring the events of seven days prior, Norris made a critical error during qualifying. However, this time, on the challenging Jeddah Corniche Circuit, the mistake had significant consequences.

Norris took too much kerb at Turn 4`s exit, losing control of his McLaren and spinning into the barrier on his first flying lap in Q3. The British driver`s frustration was evident, particularly after acknowledging pre-session discomfort with the car`s handling in Saudi Arabia.

Piastri was the only driver to set a lap time before the session was red-flagged due to Norris`s damaged McLaren. Notably, Verstappen was the only front-running contender to opt for two runs after the session resumed.

The reigning world champion initially surpassed Piastri by just 0.001 seconds, but Russell and Piastri then set even faster times, pushing Verstappen to find further improvements.

Red Bull chose to only change Verstappen`s tires, forgoing refueling or setup adjustments. He returned to the track and improved upon Piastri`s leading time by 0.010 seconds.

`I genuinely didn`t anticipate being on pole here after FP3 and considering our performance throughout the weekend,` Verstappen admitted. `The car transformed in the night session. We implemented some final adjustments, and it became significantly more enjoyable to drive. The grip improved for me, and navigating a qualifying lap here, surrounded by walls, demands absolute precision.`

`Achieving pole position here is incredibly satisfying and the optimal starting position for tomorrow, although I anticipate a challenging race to maintain the lead. We will certainly give it our best effort.`

Leclerc once again maximized his Ferrari`s potential to qualify fourth, albeit 0.376 seconds behind the pole time. He outperformed Hamilton, who faced near eliminations in both Q1 and Q2.

The seven-time world champion was consistently slower than Leclerc throughout the lap and has lacked the same level of confidence as his teammate throughout the weekend.

Williams` Alex Albon was narrowly 0.007 seconds from eliminating Hamilton in Q2 and will start from 11th, ahead of Racing Bull`s Liam Lawson, who achieved his best qualifying result of the season.

Saudi Arabian GP Qualifying Timesheet