F1: Perez bags first career-pole, Ferraris ahead of Max at Saudi Arabia GP

Sergio Perez of Red Bull will start at pole position at the Saudi Arabia Grand Prix on Sunday with his teammate defending world champion Max Verstappen on fourth. The Mexican driver beat the Ferraris at qualifying on Saturday to bag his first-ever F1 pole. 

The Q2 session at Jeddah saw HAAS driver Mick Schumacher crash his car at 170 mph between turn nine and ten to cause a red flag. The session resumed after an hour. 

“Assessment at the medical centre revealed no injuries, and he has been transferred to King Fahad Armed Forces Hospital, Jeddah, for precautionary checks,” an FIA statement said.

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However, the highlight of the qualifying was the battle between Ferrari and Red Bull. The four drivers, both teams combined, will occupy the first two rows on Sunday. Mwanwhile, seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton was eliminated after Q1, finishing 16th in the first session in a massive shock. This is the first time in five years that the Mercedes driver has missed out on second qualifying. 

Hamilton’s teammate Geroge Russell qualified sixth. 

In the last session, Perez, also known as Checo, recorded a best lap time of 1:28.200.  Leclerc was +0.025 seconds behind the Red Bull driver. Esteban Ocon finished fifth. 

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Fernando Alonso beat Alfa Romeo’s Valtteri Bottas by +0.036 seconds for seventh place and Pierre Gasly and Kevin Magnussen take the 9th and 10th positions on the grid respectively.

Saudi Arabian GP Qualifying Results – top 10

1) Sergio Perez, Red Bull

2) Charles Leclerc, Ferrari

3) Carlos Sainz, Ferrari

4) Max Verstappen, Red Bull

5) Esteban Ocon, Alpine

6) George Russell, Mercedes

7) Fernando Alonso, Alpine

8) Valtteri Bottas, Alfa Romeo

9) Pierre Gasly, AlphaTauri

10) Kevin Magnussen, Haas