March 18, (THEWILL) – Red Bull’s Sergio Perez secured pole position for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, outpacing Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari by 0.155 seconds.
The Mexican’s teammate, Max Verstappen, who was the favourite to take pole, suffered a drivetrain failure during Q2, forcing him to start from 15th place. The setback puts him at a disadvantage in the race on Sunday, where he will have to work his way through the pack to have any chance of catching Perez and the leaders.
The mishap opened up the chance for Fernando Alonso, who qualified third for Aston Martin, to start on the front row for the first time in over a decade. George Russell followed in fourth, while Carlos Sainz qualified sixth. Lando Norris had a disappointing outing, crashing into the wall during Q1 and unable to set a competitive time. Meanwhile, rookie Oscar Piastri reached Q3 for the first time, qualifying in eighth.
Red Bull’s pole position in the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix throws the race wide open, as Verstappen’s setback makes the title race a little more uncertain. Alonso’s strong qualifying performance is sure to boost the spirits of Aston Martin fans, while Russell and Piastri’s impressive showings are a sign of good things to come.
The race on Sunday is set to be an exciting affair, with a number of drivers looking to make their mark and improve their standings.
