Mercedes' British driver George Russell (L), Red Bull Racing's Dutch driver Max Verstappen and McLaren's British driver Lando Norris pose after taking the leading positions in the qualifying session at The Circuit Zandvoort, ahead of the Dutch Formula One Grand Prix, in Zandvoort on August 26, 2023. (Photo by SIMON WOHLFAHRT / AFP)
Zandvoort, Netherlands: Max Verstappen claimed an "incredible" Dutch Grand Prix pole at the last throw of the qualifying dice at Zandvoort on Saturday 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.
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."
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.
Qualifying began with a mix of sun and threatening clouds over the tight and twisty circuit carved into the dunes following storms that caused chaos in third practice.
On a slippery track with spray flying Verstappen was in good company when sliding onto the safety gravel at turn one as qualifying started.
"What's going on with the car, I have no grip, I'm spinning everywhere," he exclaimed over the team radio.
Rain began to fall with two minutes left of the first qualifying segment, putting pressure on Leclerc to scrape into the top 15 and the man from Monaco threw everything at it in his Ferrari, slithering around to nip through to the middle session.
Among the group of five going out was Liam Lawson, AlphaTauri's reserve driver called up on Friday night to stand in for the injured Daniel Ricciardo.
With the track drying, the times tumbled and it was Verstappen who led the way into the top 10 shoot-out as Lewis Hamilton was knocked out in a shock for the Mercedes seven-time champion.
"It's not an easy track to move forwards on but tomorrow is a new day, so I will give it my best," said Hamilton.
This was hugely disappointing for Hamilton, even more so when American rookie Sargeant, scraped into the final qualifying session for the first time in his fledgling F1 career.
'I'm ok, sorry'
As the racetrack DJ cranked up the volume Sargeant's euphoria lasted all of a minute of Q3 when he smashed his Williams into the barrier at turn two, prompting a red flag.
"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.
A frantic burst of track activity followed with McLaren duo Norris and Piastri going top before the red flag came out again when Leclerc found the barriers at turn nine.
Norris was four minutes away from the second pole of his career as the session got back under way with the pressure on Verstappen to overhaul him.
With the crowd willing him on Verstappen pulled it out of the bag to give him an ideal platform to maintain his and Red Bull's incredible run of form this season.
