Formula One championship leader Max Verstappen placed to a blinding screen in Saturday’s qualifying to grab pole position to the French Grand Prix ahead of title rival Lewis Hamilton.
Even the 23-year-old lapped the 5.8-kilometer extended Paul Ricard circuit in 1 minute 29.990 moments inside his Red Bull, 0.258 seconds clear of Mercedes’ Hamilton, that paths Verstappen by four factors in the overall standings and will line up together on the front row.
Valtteri Bottas at another Mercedes was Sergio Perez, winner 2 weeks back in Baku, was for Red Bull.
Verstappen’s Saturday screen, which left him the only driver to lap under the 1 minute, 30 minute mark, made the Dutchman his second position of the second and fifth of his career.
In addition, it ended Mercedes’ streak of qualifying and practice dominance in the Paul Ricard track.
The reigning champions had led each single practice and qualifying session to the 2 races the circuit has functioned since connecting the calendar from 2018, using Hamilton winning equally out of rod.
But it marked a welcome return to form to Mercedes following two bad evenings at Monaco and Baku and ancient battles in Paul Ricard that weekend.
Saturday’s qualifying session has been interrupted by two flags.
Japanese newcomer Yuki Tsunoda led to the very first stoppage only 3 minutes to the hour-long session after he lost control of his AlphaTauri in the very first corner and finished up at the hurdles.
Mick Schumacher attracted the red flags for another period in the dying moments of the opening period of qualifying, once the German bumped off in the barriers.
The 22-year-old Haas motorist, who had been 14th once he crashed, yet improved from qualifying’s launching knockout period for the very first time in his profession, even when he could not participate in the rest of the session.
He’ll line a career-best 15th on Sunday.