• Latest
  • Trending

Verstappen beats Hamilton to French GP pole

June 20, 2021

Randle tops Practice 2 as Matt Payne leads Kiwi charge in Townsville

July 11, 2025

Ryan Wood tops Practice 1 as Brown crashes late in Townsville

July 11, 2025

Bewley to make street circuit debut in Townsville Porsche Sprint Challenge Round

July 11, 2025

Rally Debut: Liam Lawson gets a taste of WRC in 2025 Ford Puma Rally1 car at Goodwood

July 11, 2025

Motorsport Diary: Kiwis racing overseas this weekend

July 11, 2025

LIVE: Goodwood Festival of Speed – Watch Liam Lawson, Greg Murphy, Mad Mike & more

July 10, 2025

Top US team HMD Motorsports confirmed for Toyota FR Oceania Trophy

July 10, 2025

Jacob Douglas scores podium, Sebastian Manson battles back in USF Pro Championship at Mid-Ohio

July 10, 2025

“We Were Informed in Advance”: What Verstappen’s manager had to say on Horner’s dismissal

July 10, 2025

Martin Brundle breaks silence after speaking with Horner: “No Reason Was Given”

July 10, 2025
BAHRAIN, BAHRAIN - FEBRUARY 26: Max Verstappen of the Netherlands and Oracle Red Bull Racing, Christian Horner, Team Principal of Oracle Red Bull Racing, and Jos Verstappen talk in the garage during day one of F1 Testing at Bahrain International Circuit on February 26, 2025 in Bahrain, Bahrain. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images) // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool // SI202502260251 // Usage for editorial use only //

Red Bull in Turmoil: Horner fired, senior staff axed, Verstappen rift deepens after arguement at British GP

July 10, 2025
Friday, July 11, 2025
VelocityNews
Subscribe
  • International
    • Formula 1
    • Formula 2
    • Formula 3
    • Formula E
    • Esports
    • Super GT
    • Super Formula
    • TCR
    • WEC
    • GT
    • Porsche Carrera Cup
    • BTCC
    • DTM
    • IMSA
    • IndyCar
    • Road to Indy
    • NASCAR
    • WRC
    • MotoGP
    • Motorcycle Racing
    • Historic Racing
  • New Zealand
    • Toyota Formula Regional
    • Toyota GR86 Championship
    • Rally
    • Speedway
    • Drifting
    • Formula Ford
    • Formula First
    • TCR NZ
    • TransTasman V8 Series
    • V8 Utes
    • GT New Zealand Championship
    • GTRNZ
    • Central Muscle Cars
    • Pirelli Porsche
    • Mazda Racing Series
    • NZ Endurance Championship
    • NIERDC
    • SIERDC
    • Pro8 South Island Series
    • SsangYong Utes
    • Kartsport
    • NZ Historic Racing
    • NZ General
  • Australia
    • Supercars
    • Super2
    • Australian V8 Touring Car Series
    • Porsche Carrera Cup Australia
    • Porsche Sprint Challenge
    • S5000
    • Australian GT
    • TCR AU
  • Features
    • Features
    • Opinion
    • Profile
    • Race Cars
  • Circuit News
  • Velocity TV
  • Performance Cars
  • Jobs
    • Jobs
    • Post a Job
    • Job Dashboard
No Result
View All Result
VelocityNews
No Result
View All Result

Verstappen beats Hamilton to French GP pole

by Zane Shackleton
June 20, 2021
in Formula 1, International, News
0

Max Verstappen clinched his second Formula 1 pole position of the season, beating Lewis Hamilton to the top spot in qualifying for the French Grand Prix.

Until today, Hamilton had claimed pole and the win in every French Grand Prix since the Paul Ricard circuit returned to the calendar in 2018.

However, Verstappen defied the odds of tradition and put in a sublime Q3 effort to snare pole for tomorrow’s Grand Prix.

After the initial Q3 runs, Verstappen was comfortably the quickest driver.

Yet the track continued to get faster, and each of the pole contenders unlocked speed in their final run.

Hamilton went purple through sector one before Verstappen pulled out the fastest time through sector two.

As the Red Bull crossed the line, he bettered his final sector time and secured himself pole position.

Hamilton cemented a spot on the front row, with Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez making up places third and fourth.

Carlos Sainz was the best of the Ferraris in fifth and is joined on the third row by hometown hero Pierre Gasly.

Charles Leclerc was seventh, while McLaren duo Lando Norris and Daniel Ricciardo struggled for speed and could only muster eighth and tenth.

They were split by Fernando Alonso in the lone Q3 running Alpine.

The sister Alpine of Esteban Ocon looked strong through free practice but failed to translate that performance into qualifying. He will start 11th.

Mick Schumacher made it out of Q1 for the first time in his F1 career and for the ailing Haas team.

Unfortunately, despite ending Q1 in 15th and safe, Schumacher crashed late in the session and brought a premature end to his day.

The consequent red flag meant Lance Stroll couldn’t complete a lap in Q1 after his first time was deleted for track limits. He will begin 19th.

Yuki Tsunoda’s qualifying lasted all but two corners when he spun into the barriers on his first flying lap of the day.

The Japanese rookie will thus start tomorrow’s race from the last spot on the grid.

Rain is forecasted for tomorrow, which should lead to an intriguing race should it fall.

Meanwhile, after both failed to score points in Azerbaijan, having championship front runners Verstappen and Hamilton on the front row hopefully result in some interesting strategic battles.

The French Grand Prix is scheduled to start at 1 am NZT, June 21.

PosNameGap
1Max Verstappen 1:29.990
2Lewis Hamilton0.258
3Valtteri Bottas0.386
4Sergio Perez0.455
5Carlos Sainz Jr0.850
6Pierre Gasly0.878
7Charles Leclerc0.997
8Lando Norris1.262
9Fernando Alonso1.350
10Daniel Ricciardo1.392
11Esteban Ocon1.746
12Sebastian Vettel1.777
13Antonio Giovinazzi1.823
14George Russell2.075
15Mick Schumacher2.962
16Nicholas Latifi3.072
17Kimi Raikkonen3.364
18Nikita Mazepin3.564
19Lance Stroll42.594
20Yuki Tsunoda

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Privacy & Policy
  • Contact Us

© 2022 VelocityNews - Independent New Zealand and International Motorsport news.

No Result
View All Result
  • International
    • Formula 1
    • Formula 2
    • Formula 3
    • Formula E
    • Esports
    • Super GT
    • Super Formula
    • TCR
    • WEC
    • GT
    • Porsche Carrera Cup
    • BTCC
    • DTM
    • IMSA
    • IndyCar
    • Road to Indy
    • NASCAR
    • WRC
    • MotoGP
    • Motorcycle Racing
    • Historic Racing
  • New Zealand
    • Toyota Formula Regional
    • Toyota GR86 Championship
    • Rally
    • Speedway
    • Drifting
    • Formula Ford
    • Formula First
    • TCR NZ
    • TransTasman V8 Series
    • V8 Utes
    • GT New Zealand Championship
    • GTRNZ
    • Central Muscle Cars
    • Pirelli Porsche
    • Mazda Racing Series
    • NZ Endurance Championship
    • NIERDC
    • SIERDC
    • Pro8 South Island Series
    • SsangYong Utes
    • Kartsport
    • NZ Historic Racing
    • NZ General
  • Australia
    • Supercars
    • Super2
    • Australian V8 Touring Car Series
    • Porsche Carrera Cup Australia
    • Porsche Sprint Challenge
    • S5000
    • Australian GT
    • TCR AU
  • Features
    • Features
    • Opinion
    • Profile
    • Race Cars
  • Circuit News
  • Velocity TV
  • Performance Cars
  • Jobs
    • Jobs
    • Post a Job
    • Job Dashboard

© 2022 VelocityNews - Independent New Zealand and International Motorsport news.