Red Bull’s Max Verstappen fought off a challenge from Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz to take pole position for the Australian Grand Prix.
Sainz was quickest in the first two parts of qualifying but the world champion bounced back in the top 10 shootout to take pole by 0.27 seconds.
Lando Norris will start third ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc after a grid penalty for Red Bull’s Sergio Perez.
Mercedes’ George Russell was seventh while Lewis Hamilton only 11th. Norris’ team-mate Oscar Piastri made it a four-six for McLaren while RB’s Yuki Tsunoda and the Aston Martins of Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso completed the top 10.
Verstappen and Red Bull had looked comparatively out of sorts for most of the weekend, there or thereabouts but not topping any of the practice sessions on the way to qualifying.
And when Sainz was fastest in both first and second qualifying, the Spaniard looked a favourite for pole, just 15 days after having an operation for appendicitis that forced him to miss the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
But two exquisite laps from Verstappen in the final session were too good for the Ferraris and the Dutchman took his third pole position in a row this season, one he has started in even more dominant style than his record-breaking 2023.
“A bit unexpected in qualifying today but very happy with Q3,” Verstappen said. “Both of those laps felt very nice. Bit of a tricky weekend but we managed to be there at the end.”
Red Bull typically have an even greater advantage in the race than in qualifying but Ferrari’s long run in second practice looked strong and Verstappen said he was expecting a challenge in the race.
“They seem very quick also in the long runs so a bit of a question mark also for tomorrow but that makes it interesting,” he said.
It was a momentous performance from Sainz, in remarkable form considering he was just two weeks out from abdominal surgery.
