Max Verstappen declared his Red Bull “came alive” after securing pole for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix with a blistering track-record lap, edging McLaren’s Oscar Piastri by just one-hundredth of a second in a thrilling qualifying session Saturday.
Meanwhile, Piastri’s teammate and championship leader, Lando Norris, crashed out during the top-10 shootout and will start from the fifth row Sunday.
Verstappen, in unstoppable form under the floodlights of the high-speed Jeddah Corniche Circuit, seized the front spot with a 1:27.294 lap, narrowly beating Piastri for the top position on the grid.
It was a huge turnaround for the Dutchman after he and his Red Bull team had struggled in Bahrain the previous weekend.
“Simply lovely! I definitely didn’t expect to be on pole here,” said a beaming Verstappen.
“The car came alive in the night. We made some final changes, and it was more enjoyable to drive; the grip was coming to me.
“I think tomorrow in the race, it will be tough to keep them (McLaren) behind, but we’ll give it a good go,” he added.
Norris leads the drivers’ standings by three points over Piastri, with Verstappen five points back ahead of this fifth round of the 24-race season.
George Russell will start on the second row in his Mercedes alongside Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc.
McLaren is aiming for its fourth win from five on Sunday, after Norris took the season-opener in Melbourne and Piastri triumphed in China and Sakhir.
Piastri said despite Verstappen’s masterful performance, there was “all to play for” in the race.
“I think Max has done a good job,” said the Australian.
“It’s another high-speed circuit for (Red Bull), where they seem to be having a little bit more success – but a good job again.
“I think our pace is good. It’s going to be a tough race.”
Qualifying got underway after the sun had dipped over the Red Sea, mercifully ushering in cooler night conditions for the drivers.
Hapless Norris
Verstappen led the two McLarens into the second qualifying session, with five drivers falling at the first hurdle: Lance Stroll (Aston Martin), Jack Doohan (Alpine), Nico Hülkenberg (Sauber), Esteban Ocon (Haas), and Gabriel Bortoleto (Sauber).
Verstappen, bouncing back from a forgettable sixth in Bahrain, split the McLarens at the end of the second segment. However, missing out were Alex Albon (Williams), Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin), Red Bull’s Liam Lawson and Isack Hadjar, and Oliver Bearman (Haas).
The stage was then set for F1’s version of a penalty shootout, with the outcome too close to call. Tension rippled around the spectacular street circuit as the session began.
Piastri posted provisional pole with his first flying lap, only for the red flag to come out when Norris hit the wall after Turn 4.
“I’m OK,” the Briton said, muttering, “Idiot.”
“He’s alright, yeah?” asked Verstappen of Norris.
That left the driver who had looked so strong in practice cruelly out of contention, starting 10th on the grid, leaving the way clear for his teammate – and potentially main rival for the title – Piastri, to take pole.
Once Norris’ stricken machine was removed from the scene of battle, the first qualifying session, reduced to nine, resumed with six minutes left on the clock.
Verstappen replaced Piastri at the top of the timesheets by one thousandth of a second ahead of the final tense flying laps.
Russell produced a huge lap to go provisional top, only for Piastri, and then Verstappen, to have the final say.
Pole position is significant in Saudi Arabia, with the driver at the front of the grid emerging as the winner three times since the track joined the F1 calendar in 2021.
Jeddah’s track proudly claims to be the fastest street circuit on the calendar.
With a record 27 corners, and much of the sinuous strip of asphalt squeezed around a lagoon hemmed in by walled barriers, the element of risk and reward is great.
One momentary lapse in concentration can make the difference between triumph and disaster – just ask hapless Norris.