Max Verstappen secured his maiden pole position at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix following an extraordinary qualifying session that saw six red flag stoppages.
The Red Bull driver posted a blistering lap time of 1:41.117 to claim the top spot at the Baku street circuit, marking the 26th different track where he has achieved pole position.
McLaren's title aspirations took a devastating hit as championship contender Oscar Piastri crashed heavily into the barriers at Turn Three during Q3.
His team-mate Lando Norris fared little better, managing only seventh place after striking the wall on his final attempt, squandering a crucial opportunity to capitalise on Piastri's misfortune.
Max Verstappen pipped Carlos Sainz to pole position after a chaotic qualifying
|REUTERS
Carlos Sainz delivered Williams' finest qualifying performance since George Russell's efforts in 2021, clinching second place in the tumultuous session.
The Spanish driver initially held provisional pole with a lap time of 1:41.595 on medium tyres before Verstappen's late surge relegated him to second.
Liam Lawson achieved a career milestone by securing third position for Racing Bulls, marking the best qualifying result for a New Zealand driver since Chris Amon finished third at the 1976 Swedish Grand Prix.
The youngster capitalised on the chaos to claim his highest-ever starting position in Formula One.
Ferrari's Charles Leclerc crashed out to make it a miserable day for Scuderia with Lewis Hamilton already missing out
|REUTERS
The final segment of qualifying descended into chaos when Charles Leclerc lost control at Turn 15, triggering red flags with just over seven minutes remaining.
Rain began falling during the stoppage, adding another layer of complexity to the already dramatic session.
When racing resumed, Piastri's championship hopes suffered a crushing blow as he locked his brakes approaching Turn Three and slammed into the barriers.
The Australian's crash prompted another red flag with only 3:41 left on the clock.
Norris struggled to capitalise when the session restarted, experiencing multiple moments on corner exits during his final attempt and ultimately finishing 1.122 seconds behind Verstappen's pole time.
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Max Verstappen will be the man to beat on Sunday
|REUTERS
Lewis Hamilton's qualifying campaign ended prematurely in Q2, marking his fifth elimination in the second segment across 17 races this season.
The Ferrari driver finished 12th after encountering yellow flags caused by teammate Leclerc's error at Turn One, which forced him to abandon his flying lap.
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THE CHAMPIONSHIP LEADER IS OUT OF QUALIFYING 🤯
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Oscar Piastri crashes into the barriers at Turn 3 💥 pic.twitter.com/KCAIj4Fy1x
Fernando Alonso narrowly missed the cut in 11th place, whilst Oliver Bearman triggered the session's fourth red flag after making contact with the wall at Turn Two. Gabriel Bortoleto finished 13th, with Lance Stroll in 14th.
Verstappen dominated Q2 ahead of the McLaren duo, setting the stage for his eventual pole position triumph.