Max Verstappen takes Saudi GP pole as Lando Norris fumes after high-speed crash

Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri were bidding for another pole position to continue McLaren’s strong start to 2025, but Max Verstappen and George Russell were also in the hunt

Lando Norris crashed out of qualifying for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix as the Brit continues to struggle for his best form. In his absence, Max Verstappen took pole position for Sunday’s Jeddah race with Norris condemned to start in 10th place.

Oscar Piastri thought he had done enough to top the timesheets in his team-mate’s absence. But Verstappen’s final flying lap came after that of the Aussie and he had just enough in his Red Bull car to snatch pole and force Piastri to settle for second place ahead of George Russell.

There were few surprises in Q1 as the big name on the grid avoided the embarrassment of exiting qualifying at the first hurdle. Gabriel Bortoleto was last with Sauber team-mate Nico Hulkenberg in the bottom five, the two of them split only by the Haas of Esteban Ocon.

Jack Doohan was 17th fastest while the quickest of those eliminated was Lance Stroll who continues to struggling in qualifying in an underpowered Aston Martin. The two Racing Bulls cars of Isack Hadjar and Liam Lawson just did enough to avoid elimination.

Both of them didn’t get out of Q2, though, with only Oliver Bearman in the other Haas slower than the two Racing Bulls drivers. Fernando Alonso split them to qualify the 13th as the Spaniard bids to score points for the first time in 2025.

Alex Albon was the unlucky driver who just missed out on a spot in the top 10. His best effort in Q2 was just seven-thousandths of a second slower than that of Hamilton but it was the Ferrari driver who progressed at his Williams rival’s expense.

Up to that point, McLaren had lived up to the pre-event billing and were looking to be strong contenders for pole again. But even though there has been plenty of negativity about Red Bull of late, Verstappen was putting in some strong times and was a certain contender for pole.

On one of the fastest track in F1, the lower top speed of the McLaren cars was being exploited as a weakness. Norris and Piastri were undoubtedly quicker going through the slower corners, but on the long straights Red Bull and Ferrari had a clear advantage.

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