Max Verstappen showcased his prowess during a turbulent qualifying session at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix on Saturday, September 20, achieving pole position with a time of 1:41.117. This marks Verstappen’s sixth pole of the season amid challenging conditions in Baku City.
The session was marked by interruptions, notably when Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc collided with the barrier at Turn 15, prompting a red flag as rain began to fall. After the session resumed, championship leader Oscar Piastri crashed at Turn 3 with less than four minutes remaining, significantly impacting the qualifying outcomes.
Upon resumption, Carlos Sainz initially held provisional pole, but Verstappen’s performance ultimately prevailed. McLaren’s Lando Norris, who had an opportunity to widen his lead over teammate Piastri, struggled during his final lap and settled for seventh place. He will start the race positioned just two spots ahead of Piastri, while Leclerc will begin in tenth.
Sainz will share the front row with Verstappen, marking his first front-row start with Williams. Liam Lawson recorded a personal best by qualifying third for Racing Bulls, followed by Mercedes drivers Kimi Antonelli and George Russell. Yuki Tsunoda in another Red Bull qualified sixth, while Isack Hadjar finished eighth, positioned between the two McLarens.
Reflecting on the qualifying session, Verstappen stated, “A long Qualifying to be honest with so many red flags. Hard to get your tyres in condition with so many stoppages. On the last lap, you just have to send it. I wasn’t even on the best tyres with the red flags; you run out of tyres.” He added, “We definitely were in there for pole, but I’m just happy since Monza we are doing a better job.”
