Verstappen clinches pole position for Saudi Arabian Grand Prix
JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia — Red Bull Dominance Continues. Max Verstappen of Red Bull claimed his second pole position of the 2024 season with a commanding performance in the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix qualifying session. Verstappen's seamless control over his RB20 was evident as he clocked two laps impressive enough for pole – his best being a 1m 27.472s, setting him 0.3 seconds ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc.
Rookie Oliver Bearman made headlines with his unexpected debut, subbing in for Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz. The 18-year-old displayed exceptional skill from his first lap in final practice. Bearman narrowly missed out on Q3 by just 0.036s, finishing in 11th place – a remarkable achievement given that he only received the call to drive hours before hitting the track.
Sergio Perez, last year's winner in Saudi Arabia, secured third place, unable to improve on his second timed lap. Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso executed a clever strategy, taking a tow from Lewis Hamilton on his final run, which allowed him to stay within a tenth of a second of the pole time heading into the final sector, ultimately crossing the line in fourth.
Oscar Piastri outqualified his McLaren teammate Lando Norris for the second consecutive year in Saudi Arabia, with both cars taking positions on the third row. Meanwhile, both Mercedes drivers struggled to improve on their second runs, settling for seventh and eighth places respectively.
Read next ❯ Ferrari to reveal Hamilton's debut F1 car on February 19 at MaranelloYuki Tsunoda redeemed himself following a frustrating end to the Bahrain Grand Prix with a stellar qualifying session. The Japanese driver outperformed his Red Bull teammate Daniel Ricciardo, securing ninth, with Lance Stroll completing the top-10.
Nico Hulkenberg faced a setback as a power issue cut his session short, leaving him to start from 15th. Alpine continued to face troubles with both cars exiting Q1. The Sauber team managed to repair Zhou Guanyu's vehicle after a significant crash in final practice, but the Chinese driver didn’t have time to set a lap and will start last.
This weekend’s race promises excitement with Verstappen looking to capitalize on his pole position, Bearman turning heads on his debut, and strategic battles brewing in the midfield.
