Qualifying took place under the usual floodlit conditions and atmosphere in Saudi Arabia, but it didn't bring too many surprises.
In Q1, after the initial flying laps, Max Verstappen, Charles Leclerc, and Fernando Alonso emerged as the top three, but the track quickly improved. By the end of the session, Lance Stroll managed to squeeze between the top two contenders with a stellar lap. To the surprise of many, Oliver Bearman comfortably made it through to the next round, while the eliminated drivers included the two Stakes, both Alpines, and Logan Sargeant.
Q2 barely got underway when Nico Hülkenberg's Haas suffered an engine failure, causing a brief red flag period. The next interruption was caused by Aston Martin's pace, with Alonso appearing as a challenger to Verstappen. Meanwhile, Leclerc performed admirably with Ferrari, coming tantalizingly close to Red Bull Racing. Among those bidding farewell were both Haas drivers, Alexander Albon, Daniel Ricciardo, and Oliver Bearman.
In Q3, Verstappen set a blistering time on his first run, indicating his intentions for the evening, with Perez and Alonso trailing behind. Such was the dominance that it was clear even at this stage who would claim pole position. The real battle was for second place, with Charles Leclerc once again bringing the Ferrari ahead of Sergio Perez behind Max Verstappen. The continuation awaits tomorrow evening, and all we can hope for is more excitement...
