Verstappen Seizes Pole in Chaotic Azerbaijan Qualifying

Max Verstappen clinched pole position for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix amid a turbulent qualifying session that saw a record six red flags. The session lasted 45 minutes longer due to crashes by McLaren's Oscar Piastri and Ferrari's Charles Leclerc, who both struggled under difficult conditions.

Verstappen will be joined by Carlos Sainz on the front row, marking a significant achievement for Williams. Meanwhile, Oscar Piastri, last year's Baku winner, secured ninth position but acknowledged it as his biggest mistake of the season, despite a strong campaign.

Racing Bulls' Liam Lawson recorded a career-best third, and Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli completed an all-rookie second row. The session was hampered by numerous crashes, keeping teams on edge with barriers repeatedly needing repairs. Despite the chaos, Verstappen's final lap was 0.478 seconds faster, securing his second consecutive pole.