Session marred by driver mishaps, rain and six red flags
McLaren drivers make big errors in marathon session
Misjudgment and error left Formula One’s leading lights flailing on the streets of Baku, but Max Verstappen delivered pole position for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix with the control and precision execution that was a salutary reminder of the mental strength that backs his undoubted talent.
Verstappen took the top spot after a dramatic and chaotic session on the testing street circuit, interrupted by a record six red-flag stoppages due to crashes. It concluded with a grid turned upside down and the two world championship rivals, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, left languishing in seventh and ninth.
Verstappen is not given to hyperbole so his verdict on qualifying was indicative of just how hard it had been. “This track is already hard enough without anything,” he said. “So, with the strong winds that we had, the car was moving around a lot. Understeer, oversteer in different places on the straights, going left to right. To basically nail everything and also then the big interruptions that we had was just very tricky.”
