Verstappen Takes Baku Pole After Piastri–Leclerc Collision and Record Six Red Flags

Max Verstappen put Red Bull on pole for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix on Saturday after McLaren’s championship leader Oscar Piastri and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc crashed out of a qualifying session marked by a record six red flags.

Carlos Sainz secured a front-row start for Williams alongside the three-time world champion, while McLaren endured a difficult day. Verstappen heads into Sunday aiming to seal a second straight constructors’ title with seven rounds still to spare.

Defending Baku winner Piastri qualified only ninth after failing to set a time in the final stage—his biggest mistake of an otherwise flawless campaign. “I think a win is ambitious, but let’s see,” the Australian said. “The car has been quick this weekend and hopefully we can make up ground.”

His teammate and title rival Lando Norris, 31 points behind, will start seventh after brushing the wall and missing a chance to close the gap on Piastri.

Racing Bulls’ Liam Lawson stunned by taking third, with Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli in fourth—making for an all-new second row, even as Verstappen claimed back-to-back poles following Monza.

‘A Very Difficult Session’

“That was a really tough session,” Verstappen said after beating Sainz by 0.478 seconds on his final lap. “By the end you just have to push. I wasn’t even on the tyres I wanted because all the red flags ruin them.”

Leclerc’s hopes of a fifth consecutive Baku pole ended when he slid into the barrier on the rain-slicked street circuit. At that point, only three drivers had set times, with Sainz narrowly ahead of Lawson.

Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton managed only 12th for Ferrari, a disappointment after setting Friday’s fastest time, while Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso lined up 11th. “Honestly, I thought I’d be fighting for pole today, so it’s a bit of a shock,” Hamilton admitted.

Three Stoppages in Q1

The opening stage was halted three times: Alex Albon crashed his Williams, Nico Hülkenberg went straight into the Turn Four barriers, destroying his Sauber’s wing and floor, and Alpine rookie Franco Colapinto slammed heavily into the wall in the final seconds, delaying the start of Q2 for barrier repairs.

Red flags waved again with 6:36 remaining after Hülkenberg’s accident, piling pressure on Antonelli, the only driver yet to record a time.

Alpine’s Esteban Ocon, along with Hülkenberg and Albon, joined him in failing to progress past Q1.

In Q2, Haas driver Oliver Bearman triggered the fourth stoppage by crashing into the wall with 12 minutes left. “Sorry guys, really stupid,” the Briton said over the radio after limping to a halt.

Leclerc’s crash caused the fifth red flag, before Piastri brought out the sixth with just 3:41 remaining.