In a stunning turn of events at the Dutch Grand Prix qualifying session, McLaren’s Lando Norris secured pole position, ending Max Verstappen’s three-year streak of pole positions at his home circuit in Zandvoort. Norris set a blistering lap time of 1:09.673, outpacing Verstappen by 0.356 seconds and his McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri by 0.499 seconds.Norris expressed his elation, stating, ‘It was a great day. The car is incredible and everything is working very well. I’m excited for tomorrow’. This marks Norris’ third pole position of the season and the fourth of his career.The qualifying session saw some surprising results, with several top drivers failing to reach Q3. Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton will start from 12th position, while Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz Jr. qualified 11th. The session also highlighted McLaren’s impressive performance, with rookie Oscar Piastri securing third place on the grid.Notably absent from the qualifying session was Williams driver Logan Sargeant, who was unable to participate due to the extensive damage his car sustained in a fiery crash during the final practice session. This incident continues to impact the team’s preparations for the race.As the grid takes shape for Sunday’s race, all eyes will be on Norris as he attempts to convert his pole position into his first Grand Prix victory. However, with Verstappen starting alongside him and holding a 78-point lead in the championship, the Dutch driver remains a formidable challenger on his home turf.
Key points
- Lando Norris secured pole position for the Dutch Grand Prix, ending Max Verstappen’s three-year streak at Zandvoort.
- McLaren showed impressive form with Norris in pole and Piastri in third.
- Several top drivers, including Hamilton and Sainz, failed to reach Q3.
- Logan Sargeant was unable to participate in qualifying due to his crash in the final practice session.
