Dutch GP 2023
AUGUST 26, 2023
Qualifying Report - Verstappen takes third consecutive pole
© Red Bull
By Peter Habicht
Max Verstappen took his third consecutive pole position at his home race in mixed conditions for Red Bull with a 1m10.567s lap, starting alongside McLaren’s Lando Norris and ahead of Mercedes’ George Russell and Williams’ Alex Albon. Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso and Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz make up the third row for tomorrow’s race which will feature six different teams at the front of the grid.
Cars struggled on a wet circuit after a very wet practice earlier today with a dry line forming slowly as teams managed intermediate tires and exploiting gains with slick tires where possible.
Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez was seventh fastest ahead of McLaren’s Oscar Piastri. Damp conditions caught out Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Williams’ Logan Sargeant, both of whom lost traction and impacted the barriers at turns 9 and 2, respectively. For Sargeant, this marks the best qualifying result for an American in Formula 1 since Michael Andretti started fifth in the 1993 Brazilian Grand Prix.
Afterwards, Sargeant shared: “When it was all on the line at the end of Q2 I was able to put a lap to transfer to Q3… but I touched the white line that must have been wet and there was really no saving it.”
Farther back, Lance Stroll will start alongside Alpine’s Pierre Gasly in the sixth row, with Lewis Hamilton starting from 13th. Hamilton put in his fastest attempt late in Q2, but his times were bettered in the final moments of the round as track conditions were improving rapidly as the circuit continued to dry. Alphatauri’s Yuki Tsunoda will start alongside the Briton ahead of Haas’ Nico Hulkenberg and Alfa Romeo’s Guanyu Zhou.
Gasly teammate Esteban Ocon will start next to Haas’ Kevin Magnussen in the ninth row, with Alfa’s Valtteri Bottas and the Alphatauri rookie Liam Lawson in for Daniel Ricciardo in 19th and 20th.
The Dutch Grand Prix starts at 3p tomorrow.