Max Verstappen on pole at home ahead of the Ferraris

“What a return to yesterday!” In its deceleration turn, Max Verstappen savor. Nowhere the day before in Free Practice 1 and 2, its Red Bull had just given him a 17th career pole, the second in a row on his home track of Zandvoort, in front of a horde of orange supporters all won over to his cause. Second after the first run of Q3 behind Charles Leclerc, the Dutchman was able to get the 21 thousandths that he was missing to take the lead and bring the crowd to its feet! 

The reigning world champion will therefore start in front of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz Sunday (15 p.m.). The two pilots Ferrari show much better colors than in Belgium, where they took a suitcase against the Flying Dutchman. Sergio Perez, the other Red Bull driver, only set the 5th fastest time, and prevented both Mercedes to improve on their final lap of Q3 after losing the car in the final corner and making a mistake, causing a yellow flag. 

Charles Leclerc will be hot on Verstappen's heels on Sunday. © Germain Hazard / DPPI

This is a very annoying qualification in this regard for the brand with the star, with Lewis Hamilton 4th and George Russell 6th, who could not even complete a lap with new tires. Nice surprise on the other hand for Mick Schumacher, the German who stakes his future on F1. Michael's son actually set the 8th fastest time and will start in the points, just ahead Yuki tsunoda (Alpha Tauri), one of his rivals for the title in Formula 2 in 2020. While he was very competitive since the start of the weekend, Lance stroll, who had not experienced the joys of Q3 since Miami, was unable to set a single lap due to a technical problem and will start 10th. 

Note that the start of Q2 was marked by a red flag caused by the throwing of a smoke bomb from the Dutch public (the individual in question having been identified and then excluded from the circuit), but also by the presence of pigeons! Q2 will not have smiled on the French, with the elimination before Q3 of the two drivers Alpine Fernando Alonso (13e) and Esteban Ocon (12th), and the elimination on the wire of Pierre Gasly (11th), beaten by Yuki Tsunoda by less than 1/10th. Note that this is the first time since the Barcelona Grand Prix last May that Alonso has not progressed to Q3. Surprising since the start of the weekend, Alex Albon ultimately qualified in 15th position.

The rest of the grid will be made up of regulars, including Nicholas latifi, 20th. Painful end of Q1 on the other hand for Sebastian Vettel, who had taken the sector 1 record on his last attempt, before losing the rear of his car in sector 3 and finish in the gravel trap. New disillusionment also for Daniel Ricciardo, only 18th and whose comparison with Lando Norris remains painful. Finally Kevin Magnussen (18e) and Valtteri Bottas (16th), the two elders from Haas et Alfa Romeo, were both beaten by their respective young teammates, Mick Schumacher, qualified in the top 10, and Guanyu-Zhou (14e).