Verstappen Makes History with Stunning Advantage at Saudi Arabian GP Qualifying
Red Bull's Dutch driver Max Verstappen secured pole position with a record-breaking lap during the qualifying session of the Formula 1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
Achieving this feat for the first time at the Jeddah circuit, Verstappen will start at the front in Saturday's race.
RED FLAG IN Q2
The first segment of qualifying was largely overshadowed by the drama of Guanyu Zhou, who had suffered an accident during the third practice session. Although his car was repaired two minutes before the end of Q1, the Chinese driver's out-lap was not fast enough, leaving him to finish last without a recorded time. Along with Zhou, Valtteri Bottas in the other Sauber, Logan Sargeant who had caused a hold-up for both Bottas and Nico Hülkenberg and both Alpine drivers, were eliminated. Max Verstappen led Q1 ahead of Lance Stroll. The beginning of the second segment saw a short red flag period due to a breakdown of Nico Hülkenberg's Haas.
FERRARI NEWCOMER FAILS TO REACH Q3
A notable shock in the continuation of Q2 was the elimination of a Ferrari car. The 18-year-old Oliver Bearman, substituting for Carlos Sainz due to appendicitis, finished in 11th place with just one practice session behind him, though this may not be considered a great surprise. In the end, two cars each from Red Bull, Aston Martin, Mercedes, and McLaren, along with Charles Leclerc and Yuki Tsunoda, made it through to Q3.
The fate of the pole position was virtually decided at the beginning of the final qualifying stage, Q3, as
Verstappen broke Lewis Hamilton's 2021 lap record of 1:27.511 by 39 thousandths of a second,
and led by over a third of a second after the first fast laps ahead of Sergio Pérez, and by 516 thousandths ahead of Fernando Alonso. In the second round of laps, Leclerc impressively moved ahead of Pérez, but posed no threat to Verstappen. The Mexican driver remained in third position, with Alonso to start alongside him in the second row.
With this achievement, Max Verstappen clinched his 34th pole position and marked his
lead in the 20th different circuit, a record that only three other drivers have surpassed in F1 history.
The Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, a 50-lap race, is scheduled to take place on Saturday evening at 18:00 local time.
RED FLAG IN Q2
The first segment of qualifying was largely overshadowed by the drama of Guanyu Zhou, who had suffered an accident during the third practice session. Although his car was repaired two minutes before the end of Q1, the Chinese driver's out-lap was not fast enough, leaving him to finish last without a recorded time. Along with Zhou, Valtteri Bottas in the other Sauber, Logan Sargeant who had caused a hold-up for both Bottas and Nico Hülkenberg and both Alpine drivers, were eliminated. Max Verstappen led Q1 ahead of Lance Stroll. The beginning of the second segment saw a short red flag period due to a breakdown of Nico Hülkenberg's Haas.
FERRARI NEWCOMER FAILS TO REACH Q3
A notable shock in the continuation of Q2 was the elimination of a Ferrari car. The 18-year-old Oliver Bearman, substituting for Carlos Sainz due to appendicitis, finished in 11th place with just one practice session behind him, though this may not be considered a great surprise. In the end, two cars each from Red Bull, Aston Martin, Mercedes, and McLaren, along with Charles Leclerc and Yuki Tsunoda, made it through to Q3.
The fate of the pole position was virtually decided at the beginning of the final qualifying stage, Q3, as
Verstappen broke Lewis Hamilton's 2021 lap record of 1:27.511 by 39 thousandths of a second,
and led by over a third of a second after the first fast laps ahead of Sergio Pérez, and by 516 thousandths ahead of Fernando Alonso. In the second round of laps, Leclerc impressively moved ahead of Pérez, but posed no threat to Verstappen. The Mexican driver remained in third position, with Alonso to start alongside him in the second row.
With this achievement, Max Verstappen clinched his 34th pole position and marked his
lead in the 20th different circuit, a record that only three other drivers have surpassed in F1 history.
The Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, a 50-lap race, is scheduled to take place on Saturday evening at 18:00 local time.
