Verstappen Secures Pole as Norris hit wall with no…..read more
Max Verstappen clinched pole position for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix after a dramatic qualifying session that saw Lando Norris crash out and severely damage his title chances. The Red Bull driver delivered a flawless performance to edge ahead of McLaren’s Oscar Piastri by just 0.01 seconds, while Norris, the current championship leader, made a costly error that sent him into the barriers.
Norris had been looking confident throughout the weekend, but his qualifying came to a sudden halt during Q3. On his first flying lap, he took too much kerb through the twisty section of turns four to six, unsettling the car and launching it into the wall. Fortunately, he walked away uninjured, but the crash left him starting from 10th on the grid for Sunday’s race.
Visibly upset, Norris didn’t hide his emotions. Over team radio, he called himself a “fucking idiot,” frustrated by the mistake. He later admitted, “I’m not going to be proud, I’m not going to be happy. I’ve let myself down and let the team down.” Acknowledging the slim overtaking opportunities at the Jeddah circuit, Norris was realistic about his chances: “If I can make the top five or six, I would be happy.”
Norris entered the weekend with a narrow lead in the championship, sitting just three points ahead of teammate Piastri and eight clear of Verstappen. But the crash has left him vulnerable in the standings, and with the Jeddah track known for being unforgiving, any misstep can have major consequences. Known for being highly self-critical, Norris will likely spend time reflecting on the error, as he often does after setbacks.
In contrast, Verstappen was back to his dominant best. After a disappointing sixth-place finish in Bahrain, where he struggled with a car that felt unbalanced and unpredictable, the Dutchman looked far more in control in Jeddah. Red Bull made strategic changes that paid off, enabling Verstappen to extract the maximum from his car. He was fueled for two laps in the final stint of Q3, using the first as a warm-up before nailing a near-perfect final lap with a time of 1:27.294.
This result not only strengthens Verstappen’s position in the championship but also quiets recent speculation about his future at Red Bull. Following his frustration in Bahrain, rumors swirled about a possible exit. Red Bull’s advisor Helmut Marko even admitted concern over Verstappen’s commitment to the team. However, Verstappen dismissed such talk this weekend, and his pole-winning performance will likely put the rumors to rest for now.
McLaren had been strong throughout the weekend, and Piastri nearly claimed his first career pole, falling short by just a hundredth of a second. Meanwhile, George Russell delivered an excellent lap to secure third for Mercedes, followed closely by Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc in fourth. Young Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli impressed with a solid fifth-place finish.
Carlos Sainz, now driving for Williams, took sixth ahead of Lewis Hamilton, who continued to struggle with his Ferrari and could only manage seventh, nearly a second slower than Verstappen. Yuki Tsunoda placed eighth for Red Bull, followed by Pierre Gasly in ninth for Alpine.
Behind Norris in 11th was Alex Albon for Williams, while Liam Lawson and Isack Hadjar placed 12th and 14th respectively for Racing Bulls. Fernando Alonso slotted into 13th for Aston Martin, and Ollie Bearman completed the top 15 for Haas.
The remaining grid spots were filled by Lance Stroll (16th), Jack Doohan (17th), Nico Hülkenberg (18th), Esteban Ocon (19th), and Gabriel Bortoleto (20th), capping off a thrilling and unpredictable qualifying session.
With Norris on the back foot and Verstappen back in top form, Sunday’s race promises to be a critical battle in the unfolding championship narrative.
