By Joe Murphy
Max Verstappen delivered a sensational lap to secure pole position for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, edging out McLaren’s Oscar Piastri by just 0.010 seconds in a qualifying session packed with drama and high stakes.
The reigning world champion found pace when it mattered most, mirroring his form from Suzuka two weeks earlier, where he turned a surprise pole into a dominant win. Verstappen’s performance came despite Red Bull making minimal changes to his car during the final run—opting only for a tyre change and sending him back out without any setup tweaks or additional fuel.
Championship leader Lando Norris saw his qualifying hopes unravel after a costly spin into the wall during the first sector of Q3. The McLaren driver, clearly frustrated, called himself an “idiot” over team radio. He’ll start 10th on the grid, and risks relinquishing his narrow title lead—just three points ahead of Piastri and eight clear of Verstappen—should either rival capitalize in Sunday’s race.
George Russell briefly held provisional pole for Mercedes before being pushed down to third, followed closely by Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and his team-mate, rookie Kimi Antonelli, who continues to impress in only his second full F1 season.
Carlos Sainz delivered a standout performance for Williams, lining up sixth, while Lewis Hamilton navigated through two close calls in Q1 and Q2 to secure seventh on the grid.
Yuki Tsunoda (Red Bull) and Pierre Gasly (Alpine) will start eighth and ninth respectively, placing them directly ahead of Norris and potentially complicating the Briton’s recovery drive.
The margins at the top were razor-thin. Verstappen initially nudged ahead of Piastri by a mere 0.001 seconds before Russell and the Australian briefly went faster. But Verstappen, unfazed, returned to the track and snatched pole once again with a lap that may prove crucial in shifting the momentum of an already intense championship battle.
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