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After three fastest times in as many practice sessions, Max Verstappen was the big favorite in Jeddah to take pole position for the Saudi Arabian GP. It was also looking forward to what Aston Martin, Ferrari and Mercedes could achieve. Before the start of qualifying it was already certain that Charles Leclerc would not be on pole, after all, the Monegask received a grid penalty for changing a part on his Ferrari engine.
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During the first part of qualifying we saw a remarkable number of mistakes by the drivers. Lando Norris made the mistake with the biggest consequences because his McLaren F1 car hit the wall. Norris returned to the pits but his qualifying was immediately over. Verstappen and Perez finished Q1 at the top, Red Bull clearly lived up to its role of favourite.
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In Q2, however, fate struck Max Verstappen. Verstappen suddenly drove very slowly on the Jeddah Corniche Circuit and he announced on the on-board radio that there was an engine problem. Verstappen managed to get to the pit lane but then got out of the car. So no pole position for Max Verstappen.
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Sergio Perez then set the fastest time in Q2, followed by Fernando Alonso in the Aston Martin at barely a tenth. The harbinger of an intense battle between the two men for pole in Q3?
During the first fast runs in Q3, Sergio Perez claimed a provisional pole position in the Red Bull. The Mexican was almost half a second faster than Charles Leclerc in the Ferrari. George Russell and Fernando Alonso followed by more than six-tenths.
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In the end it was also Sergio Perez who took pole position after the second fast run, so Red Bull took pole position despite the problems for Max Verstappen. Charles Leclerc was second fastest, but the Monegask will start the race in twelfth place due to a grid penalty of ten places. Fernando Alonso will therefore start the race from the front row.
1 Sergio Pérez Red Bull 1:29.244s 1:28.635s 1:28.265s
2 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1:29.376s 1:28.903s 1:28.420s
3 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin 1:29.298s 1:28.757s 1:28.730s
4 George Russell Mercedes 1:29.592s 1:29.132s 1:28.857s
5 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 1:29.411s 1:28.957s 1:28.931s
6 Lance Stroll Aston Martin 1:29.335s 1:28.962s 1:28.945s
7 Esteban Ocon Alpine 1:29.707s 1:29.255s 1:29.078s
8 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1:29.689s 1:29.374s 1:29.223s
9 Oscar Piastri McLaren 1:29.706s 1:29.378s 1:29.243s
10 Pierre Gasly Alpine 1:29.890s 1:29.411s 1:29.357s
11 Nico Hulkenberg Haas 1:29.547s 1:29.451s
12 Zhou Guanyu Alfa Romeo 1:29.654s 1:29.461s
13 Kevin Magnussen Haas 1:29.744s 1:29.517s
14 Valtteri Bottas Alfa Romeo 1:29.929s 1:29.668s
15 Max Verstappen Red Bull 1:28.761s 1:49.953s
16 Yuki Tsunoda AlphaTauri 1:29.939s
17 Alexander Albon Williams 1:29.994s
18 Nyck de Vries AlphaTauri 1:30.244s
19 Lando Norris McLaren 1:30.447s
20 Logan Sargeant Williams 2:08.510s
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