Carnage unfolds in Dutch Grand Prix qualifying, Verstappen secures pole position

One of the trickiest courses on the F1 calendar delivered unbridled chaos overnight as multiple red flags brought qualifying to a halt.

Red flag carnage during Dutch Grand Prix qualifying. (Photo by Peter Fox/Getty Images)

Max Verstappen claimed an “incredible” Dutch Grand Prix pole at the last throw of the qualifying dice at Zandvoort to leave him ideally placed in his quest for a record-equalling ninth consecutive win of the season.

The massed ranks of expectant orange-clad fans braving the changeable weather went home happy as Verstappen left it late to plonk his Red Bull on the front of Sunday’s grid.

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McLaren’s Lando Norris will start alongside the double world champion with the second row filled by Mercedes’ George Russell and Alex Albon’s Williams, the London-born Thai matching his best ever grid position.

A runaway leader by 125 points in the championship Verstappen has a perfect record since his home event returned to the F1 calendar in 2021, starting from the front of the grid and winning both races.

In tricky wet-dry conditions at the unforgiving seaside circuit two red flags led to a frantic closing couple of minutes – just time to nail one final flying lap.

Not for the first time Verstappen produced the goods.

“It was a very tricky qualifying, all about staying out of trouble,” said Verstappen who if he translates pole into victory will draw level with Sebastian Vettel’s benchmark of nine straight wins set in 2013.

He added: “I had to risk it a bit but that last lap was very enjoyable. “The pressure is always there to perform (at his home race) but when you can pull it off it’s incredible.”

The front row of the grid, Max and Lando. (Photo by SIMON WOHLFAHRT / AFP)

It was the perfect finish to qualifying, but it came after early carnage in the third and final session.

American rookie Logan Sargeant secured his first ever visit into Q3 after scraping over the line, but his euphoria lasted all of a minute.

Sargeant lost control of his Williams and smashed into the barrier at turn two, prompting a red flag and bringing the session to a halt.

“I’m ok, sorry,” he assured his pit crew, before hopping out of the cockpit as his mechanics readied for a long night repairing his machine for the race.

After a 20-minute delay to repair the barrier qualifying resumed with eight minutes left on the clock.

But it wasn’t long before a second red flag was waved, this time caused by Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc who lost control and slid across the grass into the barrier at turn nine.

Sargeant’s Williams was in bad shape. (Photo by Peter Fox/Getty Images)

Norris, over half a second back, described ‘P2’ as “a good result in these conditions.

“Every now and then you hope Max will make a mistake but he doesn’t,” the Briton added.

Fernando Alonso came in fifth ahead of Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz, Sergio Perez in the other Red Bull, McLaren’s Oscar Piastri, with Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari and the Williams of Logan Sargeant rounding out the top five rows of the grid.

New Zealand driver Liam Lawson was thrown into the AlphaTauri as Daniel Ricciardo’s replacement after the Aussie star broke his hand during a crash in free practice 1.

Lawson didn’t make an impact behind the wheel as he was eliminated in Q1 and will start the race from 20th on the grid.

His AlphaTauri teammate Yuki Tsunoda finished qualifying in 14th position, but was handed a three-place grid penalty after impeding Lewis Hamilton.

Dutch Grand Prix starting grid

1) Max Verstappen (NED/Red Bull) 2) Lando Norris (GBR/McLaren-Mercedes)

3) George Russell (GBR/Mercedes) 4) Alex Albon (THA/Williams-Mercedes)

5) Fernando Alonso (ESP/Aston Martin-Mercedes) 6) Carlos Sainz (ESP/Ferrari)

7) Sergio Perez (MEX/Red Bull) 8) Oscar Piastri (AUS/McLaren-Mercedes)

9) Charles Leclerc (MON/Ferrari) 10) Logan Sargeant (USA/Williams-Mercedes)

11) Lance Stroll (CAN/Aston Martin-Mercedes) 12) Pierre Gasly (FRA/Alpine-Renault)

13) Lewis Hamilton (GBR/Mercedes) 14) Nico Hulkenberg (GER/Haas-Ferrari)

15) Zhou Guanyu (CHN/Alfa Romeo-Ferrari) 16) Esteban Ocon (FRA/Alpine-Renault)

17) Yuki Tsunoda (JPN/AlphaTauri-Red Bull) 18) Kevin Magnussen (DEN/Haas-Ferrari)

19) Valtteri Bottas (FIN/Alfa Romeo-Ferrari) 20) Liam Lawson (NZL/AlphaTauri-Red Bull)

Originally published as Carnage unfolds in Dutch Grand Prix qualifying, Verstappen secures pole position