Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc clinched his fourth consecutive pole position at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix during Saturday’s qualifying session, while McLaren’s Lando Norris faced a surprising early exit in Q1.
Leclerc outpaced McLaren’s Oscar Piastri by 0.321 seconds, with Ferrari teammate Carlos Sainz securing third on the grid. The battle for pole was wide open as qualifying began, creating a high-stakes atmosphere where all 20 drivers were eager to avoid elimination.
Sergio Perez, known for his prowess on the Baku street circuit, started strong, topping the timesheets early in Q1. All but two drivers opted for Soft tires to maximize their pace. Mercedes, however, began the session conservatively on Mediums, leaving Lewis Hamilton and George Russell in precarious 13th and 15th positions, forcing them to switch to Soft tires to ensure progression to Q2.
As the session unfolded, rapid track evolution shuffled the standings, leading to unexpected exits. Valtteri Bottas of Sauber failed to make it to Q2 despite benefiting from a tow from teammate Zhou Guanyu, who will start at the back of the grid due to a power unit change. Zhou’s advantage over Bottas was slim, but both managed to outqualify Esteban Ocon, who finished last, struggling with a fuel pump issue that carried over from practice.
The biggest shock of the session, however, came from Norris. Despite showing promise, he aborted his final run and finished only 17th, possibly due to a yellow flag in the final sector. His early exit dealt a significant blow to both his race and championship ambitions. Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo joined the early eliminations, narrowly missing out on Q2 in 16th.
Rookies Shine in Azerbaijan GP Qualifying
While Norris’s fortunes plummeted, rookies Franco Colapinto and Ollie Bearman capitalized on the opportunity, both advancing into Q2. Colapinto impressed by finishing ninth, with Bearman in 14th. Williams also looked strong, with Alex Albon securing second-fastest in Q1, trailing only Leclerc.
Leclerc faced minimal consequences for failing to slow for yellow flags in FP3, receiving only a reprimand, allowing him to push in qualifying without concern. Meanwhile, Piastri, Pierre Gasly, and Yuki Tsunoda were the sole representatives for their teams in Q2, battling with Red Bull, Ferrari, Mercedes, Aston Martin, Williams, and Haas for top-10 shootout spots.
Ferrari’s session was briefly hindered by confusion over managing the tow, with Leclerc asking when it would occur and both Ferraris aborting a run. However, despite this miscommunication, both Leclerc and Sainz advanced to Q3. Max Verstappen set the pace in Q2, while Bearman narrowly missed the top 10, finishing 11th, ahead of Tsunoda and Gasly.
Colapinto’s outstanding performance continued into Q3, marking his first-ever appearance in the final qualifying session. He outshone his Williams teammate Albon by four-tenths of a second at the death of Q2, further highlighting the rookie’s impressive form.
Leclerc Dominates En Route to Azerbaijan GP Pole
In Q3, Ferrari locked out the provisional front row with Leclerc leading the charge. Piastri managed a solid first lap on used Soft tires, while Red Bull’s Perez and Verstappen struggled, placing only fifth and sixth, respectively, after the initial runs.
Drama struck Albon’s Q3 effort when his airbox cooling fan was left attached as he exited the pit lane. After some quick thinking, Albon managed to remove the fan and called for a marshal to take it from him. Although the issue was resolved with just two minutes remaining, Albon could only secure 10th place.
Meanwhile, Leclerc was in a league of his own, taking pole position with a commanding three-tenths margin over the rest of the field. Piastri and Sainz completed the top three, with Perez in fourth. Russell rounded out the top five, ahead of Verstappen and Hamilton in sixth and seventh, respectively. Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso finished eighth, with rookie standout Colapinto in ninth, followed by Albon.
Leclerc’s dominant performance sets the stage for an exciting Azerbaijan Grand Prix, with the Ferrari driver looking poised for victory while rivals scramble to catch up.
