Max Verstappen has qualified on pole position for tomorrow’s Dutch Grand Prix, out-qualifying second-fastest Lando Norris by over half a second in mixed conditions at Zandvoort.
New Zealand’s Liam Lawson will start from the rear of the grid, having been eliminated from Q1 while track conditions were still wet.
The rain had cleared following FP3, but a wet track saw the entire field take to the start of Q1 on intermediates. Despite this, Verstappen, Nico Hulkenberg, Kevin Magnussen and Leclerc were caught out at Turn 1, all running through the gravel before safely rejoining.
Times continued to drop as track conditions improved during the session, but rain began to fall again at the end of Q1, having little impact on the final runs which saw Zhou Guanyu, Esteban Ocon, Magnussen, Valtteri Bottas and Lawson eliminated, respectively.
Sainz may find himself in trouble for impeding Piastri as he exited the pitlane in the final minutes of the run, drifting left across the track and nearly clipping the fast-approaching McLaren.
The rain didn’t hang around long, and times in Q2 were quick to improve on an evolving track, hinting at the possibility of slicks at the end of the session.
While teams opted to stay on intermediates, the final laps saw times continue to tumble, with Lewis Hamilton the shock elimination in 13th. Also eliminated were Lance Stroll, Pierre Gasly, Yuki Tsunoda and Hulkenberg.
Soft tyres were called into play for Q3 as the track continued to dry. Alex Albon and Logan Sargeant topped the time sheets early in the run, only for the latter to spin into the barrier at Turn 2 on his cool-down lap, having run slightly off the dry line, bringing out the red flag.
Leclerc would suffer a similar fate following the restart, understeering onto the grass at Turn 9 and sliding into the wall at speed, causing a second red flag.
Verstappen and Norris were the ones to beat over the final timed laps, the defending champion claiming pole by over half a second on the McLaren.
Russell claimed third as the last driver to cross the line, topping Alex Albon, who will start on the second row from fourth. Fernando Alonso and Carlos Sainz lock out the third row and have Sergio Perez and Oscar Piastri behind, while Leclerc and Sargeant round out the top ten, respectively, despite crashing out in Q3.
Tomorrow’s Dutch Grand Prix begins at 1:00 a.m.
Header Image: Lars Baron/Getty Images Red Bull Content Pool)
