F1 world championship leader Lando Norris is only 10th on the grid for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix
F1 world championship leader Lando Norris is only 10th on the grid for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, following his qualifying crash.
Norris’s huge shunt in Q3 opens the door for front-row pair Max Verstappen and Oscar Piastri to assume control of the standings, which for Piastri will be the first time in his career he has led the standings.
Max Verstappen has revealed to learning from one of the rare black spots of his F1 career after clinching another sensational pole position.
Around the Jeddah Corniche Circuit where McLaren threatened to dominate after setting a staggering pace in final practice, the four-time F1 champion delivered his latest masterclass over one lap.
On this occasion, Verstappen hauled his Red Bull to a hundredth of a second quicker than McLaren’s Oscar Piastri to land top spot on the grid after the Australian’s team-mate, Lando Norris, had crashed in the early part of Q3.
As the lap unfolded and Verstappen hurled the RB21 around the fastest street circuit in the world, memories of 2021 emerged when Verstappen was delivering a lap of the Gods, only to crash in the final corner.
Four years may have elapsed, but Verstappen underlined why he is the greatest driver of this generation.
“There were a few reasons behind it in ’21 why, in hindsight, I went off,” said Verstappen on Sky Sports F1. “We don’t need to speak about it now, but you learn from it.
“So when I was on my final lap, I knew that once I came out of turn 22, I said,’ Okay, that’s fine. Nothing weird can happen in the last corner’.
“And then I just found a little bit more in the last corner again. That was the story of my qualifying in Q1, Q2, Q3, every time, just a little bit better.
“And the team also gave me nice little tips to try for some corners, to optimise the balance a little bit more, and it all worked out well.”
Norris is eight points clear of Verstappen, who took pole by just 0.010s, and three of Piastri, with the second row consisting of George Russell and Charles Leclerc. Lewis Hamilton will start seventh for Ferrari.
| Position | Driver | Team |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | Max Verstappen | Red Bull |
| 2nd | Oscar Piastri | McLaren |
| 3rd | George Russell | Mercedes |
| 4th | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari |
| 5th | Andrea Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes |
| 6th | Carlos Sainz | Williams |
| 7th | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari |
| 8th | Yuki Tsunoda | Red Bull |
| 9th | Pierre Gasly | Alpine |
| 10th | Lando Norris | McLaren |
| 11th | Alex Albon | Williams |
| 12th | Liam Lawson | Racing Bulls |
| 13th | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin |
| 14th | Isack Hadjar | Racing Bulls |
| 15th | Ollie Bearman | Haas |
| 16th | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin |
| 17th | Jack Doohan | Alpine |
| 18th | Nico Hulkenberg | Stake |
| 19th | Esteban Ocon | Haas |
| 20th | Gabriel Bortoleto | Stake |