F1 Grand Prix, GP Azerbaijan, Baku Street Circuit

Having taken an emotional victory last time out in Monza, Charles Leclerc dominated today's qualifying to secure a sensational pole position for Sunday's Azerbaijan Grand Prix. F1Technical's lead journalist Balazs Szabo reports on the nail-biting Baku qualifying.

Q1 – Norris endures shock result

With most drivers opting for soft tyres from the outset in Q1 – the trend being broken by Mercedes burning a set of mediums – it was Sergio Perez who set the early pace on a 1m 43.436s.

As drivers pushed harder and harder on an ever-improving track, lap times started to tumble. Charles Leclerc ended up quickest in the first qualifying segment, with Alexander Albon taking an eye-catching second spot ahead of Oscar Piastri and Pierre Gasly.

It was not surprising to see Esteban Ocon and the Sauber pair of Zhou Guanyu and Valtteri Bottas fail to make the cut into the next qualifying segment, but there was huge drama at the McLaren camp, with championship challenger Lando Norris failing to make it out of Q1 amid a moment in the final sector.

The Briton ran into a yellow-flag segment of the track which was because of the slow-moving Alpine of Esteban Ocon. This means that the two-time F1 race winner will start Sunday’s race down in 17th place.

Reflecting on his shock result, Norris said: "Just everyone did their second laps and I didn't so. I had to lift [for yellows]. It is what it is, long race ahead, we have some good tyres in the bank, I don't know.

“I'm still hopeful we can get a good result, the car is still quick. A little bit frustrating but nothing I could do."

Q2 – Verstappen sets the pace ahead of pole shootout

When the remaining 15 drivers returned to the track for the start of Q2, Verstappen and Perez moved up a gear to form a provisional Red Bull one-two, with the Dutchman posting a 1m 42.042s.

The Dutch driver ended the session atop, with Leclerc and Perez setting the second and third quickest lap time.
George Russell posted an encouraging fourth-quickest lap, from Fernando Alonso in P5.

Having made his F1 debut in Monza two weeks ago, Franco Colapinto continued to impress with the sixth fastest lap for Williams, confirming that James Vowles was right to replace Logan Sargeant with the Argentinean.

Sainz was unable to put a good lap together, and finished only seventh ahead of the pole shootout, with Piastri, Hamilton and Albon bringing up the rear of the top ten.

Having crashed his Haas into the walls in Free Practice 3, Ferrari junior Oliver Bearman, who stands in to replace Kevin Magnussen this weekend, ended up 11th, describing himself as “an idiot” over the radio after an apparent mistake.

Knocked out: Oliver Bearman, Yuki Tsunoda, Pierre Gasly, Nico Hulkenberg and Lance Stroll.

Q3 – Leclerc dominates

Leclerc led the way after the first round of laps. Although his first hot lap would have been enough for the top spot, the Monegasque found even more time on his second flying lap to take a sensational pole position for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, beating McLaren’s Oscar Piastri by three tenths of a second.

Having struggled for braking stability on Friday, Ferrari’s Spanish driver Carlos Sainz got his act together for Q3 to move himself into the third spot for the Baku race.

Sergio Perez, who is the most successful driver at Baku courtesy of his two victories, put in a good lap to secure fourth place on the grid which marks the first time this year that the Mexican is the leading Red Bull car on the grid.

George Russell lost valuable track time on Friday, but he bounced back with a strong fifth place for Sunday’s Baku race.

Having displayed encouraging performance across the opening segments of qualifying, reigning champion Max Verstappen ended the one-hour session with a disappointing sixth place.

Lewis Hamilton showed great race pace on Friday, but he was unable to generate enough temperatures in his front tyres, and this meant the seven-time world champion will only line up seventh on the grid on Sunday.

Fernando Alonso took eighth for Aston Martin, beating the Williams pair of Franco Colapinto and Alexander Albon.