JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia — Max Verstappen will start Sunday`s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix from pole position after championship contender Lando Norris crashed in Q3 and qualified tenth.
Verstappen, the reigning champion, clinched his second pole of the season, outperforming McLaren`s Oscar Piastri by a mere 0.010 seconds.
Verstappen exclaimed, `Simply lovely, that!` expressing his delight.
He admitted surprise at achieving pole position, noting the car`s improved performance during the evening session after adjustments. He anticipates a challenging race to maintain the lead but is determined to give it his best.
Piastri conveyed his satisfaction with his performance, acknowledging he extracted the maximum from his lap. He recognized Red Bull`s strength on high-speed circuits and commended Verstappen`s achievement.
Norris, who had been quickest in Q2, crashed at Turns 4 and 5 during his first Q3 attempt. Losing control mid-corner, he will start tenth due to the incident.
Norris`s crash further jeopardizes his narrow championship lead over teammate Piastri, who reduced the gap to three points after winning in Bahrain.
George Russell of Mercedes will start third, followed by Ferrari`s Charles Leclerc in fourth.
Russell stated he maximized the car`s potential, accepting P3 before the session. Despite a strong lap, he acknowledged the superior pace of McLarens and Verstappen on high-speed tracks.
Mercedes` rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli will start fifth, with Carlos Sainz in sixth, marking his best grid position since joining Williams.
Lewis Hamilton in a Ferrari could only manage seventh, ahead of Yuki Tsunoda`s Red Bull in eighth.
Pierre Gasly for Alpine secured ninth, starting ahead of Norris.
Alex Albon in a Williams will start 11th, narrowly missing out on the top ten.
Liam Lawson for Racing Bulls starts 12th, followed by Fernando Alonso`s Aston Martin in 13th and Isack Hadjar`s Racing Bull in 14th. Oliver Bearman for Haas completes the top 15.
Lance Stroll narrowly missed Q2, starting 16th for Aston Martin, ahead of Alpine`s Jack Doohan in 17th.
Nico Hulkenberg in a Sauber will start 18th, with Haas driver Esteban Ocon and rookie Garbiel Bortoleto, who spun in Q1, rounding out the grid.
Saudi Arabian Grand Prix Qualifying: Top 10
| Position | Driver | Team | Q3 Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | 1:27.294 |
| 2 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | 1:27.304 |
| 3 | George Russell | Mercedes | 1:27.407 |
| 4 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 1:27.670 |
| 5 | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | 1:27.866 |
| 6 | Carlos Sainz | Williams | 1:28.164 |
| 7 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | 1:28.201 |
| 8 | Yuki Tsunoda | Red Bull | 1:28.204 |
| 9 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine | 1:28.367 |
| 10 | Lando Norris | McLaren | 1:27.481* |
| *Time set in Q2 before crash |
Dominic Ashworth