Max Verstappen Blazes to Pole in Qualifying Session for Azerbaijan Grand Prix

Max Verstappen has mastered the mayhem on the streets of Baku to claim pole position for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, following a Qualifying session packed with red flags, dramatic crashes, and shifting weather conditions.

The session, held on the notoriously narrow Baku City Circuit, was repeatedly halted due to incidents triggered by strong winds, brief rain, and minimal room for error. A record six red flags were deployed as several drivers fell foul of the treacherous street track. Among those caught out were Alex Albon, Nico Hülkenberg, Franco Colapinto, Ollie Bearman, Charles Leclerc, and Oscar Piastri, The Caspian Post reports via local media.

Despite the constant interruptions and rising pressure, Verstappen stayed composed. The Red Bull driver delivered a blistering lap of 1m41.117s, rising above the chaos to secure his pole. He edged out Williams' Carlos Sainz and Racing Bulls' Liam Lawson, who completed the top three in what turned into a nearly two-hour-long Qualifying.

The decisive moment came late in the session when Oscar Piastri crashed with just under four minutes remaining, bringing out the final red flag. At that point, only Sainz, Lawson, and Isack Hadjar had registered flying laps. When the session resumed, Verstappen was the only driver able to put together a clean and competitive lap, snatching pole in the final moments.

Elsewhere, Lando Norris, who had shown strong pace earlier in the weekend, was unable to capitalize on the restart and finished the session down in seventh.

The turbulent Qualifying has set the stage for what promises to be an unpredictable race in Baku, where the streets have already claimed their fair share of victims.