Saudi Arabian GP: Max Verstappen Takes Pole Position in Jeddah

Max Verstappen secured a fantastic pole position after Lando Norris, who was leading the championship, crashed out during a dramatic qualifying session for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

Verstappen narrowly beat Oscar Piastri by just 0.010 seconds with an amazing lap. This is similar to his performance two weeks prior in Suzuka, where he turned a surprise pole position into a race victory.

Norris will start from 10th place after spinning and hitting the wall in the first sector during Q3`s initial runs. He expressed his frustration over the radio, calling himself an `idiot` as he risks losing his championship lead to Piastri or Verstappen in Sunday`s race.

Norris is currently only three points ahead of Piastri in the championship standings and eight points ahead of Verstappen. Verstappen`s pole position demonstrates that he remains a strong contender, even if his car is considered slightly slower than the McLaren.

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

Carlos Sainz achieved a commendable sixth place for Williams, while Lewis Hamilton, after facing potential eliminations in earlier qualifying rounds, managed to qualify seventh.

Red Bull`s Yuki Tsunoda and Alpine`s Pierre Gasly will start in eighth and ninth positions, respectively, positioning them as the first cars Norris will need to overtake in what could be a crucial race for the early stages of the F1 title competition.

How Verstappen Capitalized on Norris`s Crash

All leading contenders reached Q3, and McLaren seemed to be the favorites for pole position after dominating practice sessions, similar to the Bahrain event last week where Piastri qualified first and won the race.

Just like a week ago, Norris made a mistake during the critical qualifying stages, but this time it had significant consequences at the challenging Jeddah Corniche Circuit, known for testing drivers` abilities.

Norris took too much kerb at the exit of Turn 4, losing control and spinning into the wall on his first flying lap in Q3. The British driver was visibly frustrated, especially after admitting he wasn`t completely comfortable with the car leading up to Saudi Arabia.

Piastri was the only driver to set a lap time before the session was red-flagged due to Norris`s damaged McLaren. Interestingly, Verstappen was the only leading driver who opted for two runs after the session resumed.

The reigning world champion initially edged out Piastri by 0.001 seconds, but Russell and Piastri then went even faster, pushing Verstappen to find more speed.

Red Bull chose only to change Verstappen`s tires, without refueling or adjusting the setup. He returned to the track and improved upon Piastri`s leading time again, this time by 0.010 seconds.

`I really didn`t expect to be on pole here after FP3 and considering the entire weekend,` Verstappen commented. `The car improved significantly at night. We made some final adjustments, and it became much more enjoyable to drive. The grip improved, and on this circuit, a qualifying lap is incredibly challenging due to the proximity of the walls – you have to get it perfect.`

`It`s very satisfying. Starting first in qualifying here is definitely the best position for tomorrow, although I anticipate it will be difficult to hold them off during the race. But we will certainly give it our best effort.`

Leclerc once again maximized his Ferrari`s performance, qualifying fourth but still 0.376 seconds behind. He outperformed Hamilton, who struggled and nearly got eliminated 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 all weekend.

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

Saudi Arabian GP Qualifying Timesheet