Max Verstappen dominated Saudi Arabian Grand Prix qualifying to clinch his first ever pole position in Jeddah, three tenths ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc. It was a day to remember for 18-year-old Oliver Bearman, who made his debut for the Scuderia filling in for the absent Carlos Sainz, but he fell painfully short of making it into Q3.
It’s now two poles from two in 2024 for Verstappen, who has started the new season just like he finished the last – wiping the floor with his competitors. Leclerc joins him on the front row for the second consecutive race, and he will hope to cause the Dutchman more problems than he managed at the Bahrain International Circuit last weekend.
There was disappointment for the Mercedes duo of Lewis Hamilton and George Russell, who both failed to break into the top six. Fernando Alonso, meanwhile, made a dash for P4, putting him in prime position to make a splash at the front of the pack on Saturday.
All eyes were on Bearman as cars took to the track in Q1, with the teenager setting a nervy first lap time before settling the nerves with his second, which saw him through to Q2 ahead of Hamilton.
Zhou Guanyu was unable to set a time despite the best efforts of his Sauber team, with the two Alpines also crashing out due to the fundamental lack place which stifled them in Bahrain.
Nico Hulkenberg lost power in Q2 which saw the session briefly red-flagged, before Bearman fell agonisingly short of making Q3 on his F1 debut. Sainz’s deputy was less than four hundredths of a second behind 10th-place Hamilton, granting him P11 for Saturday’s race.
It was business as usual for Verstappen in Q3 as he put his Red Bull right at the front of the grid, with daylight between himself and Leclerc. Sergio Perez qualified third, and there were respectable showings from the two McLarens in fifth and sixth.
Qualifying results in full
1. Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
2. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
3. Sergio Perez (Red Bull)
4. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin)
5. Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
6. Lando Norris (McLaren)
