Saudi Arabia Grand Prix: Sergio Perez Poles As Max Verstappen Retires

 

Sergio Perez is the pole-setter for Red Bull's second in a row after finishing quickest in the qualifying for Saudi Arabia Grand Prix and helped the team to defile mechanical issue that retired Max Verstappen from the race. 

Verstappen's Red Bull suffered drive shaft failure as he was winding his first run in Q2, and his teammate fought on to beat Ferrari's Charles Leclerc to the second position. Meanwhile, Leclerc had a 10-place penalty from engine penalty already served him that meant start in 12 position on Sunday. 

"It's a shame, Max has been really strong the whole weekend," Perez recalled the incident that retired Verstappen. "Hopefully, tomorrow we can have both cars up there."

With less than seven minutes remaining in Q3, Perez delivered a huge lap of about one-fifth of a second and shoved Leclerc to second. Perez held strong to that pace to keep Red Bull and made the pole. 

Fernando Alonso, who finished third effectively moved to second position for Aston Martin following Leclerc's penalty, and following in third was Mercedes' George Russell, whose teammate, Lewis Hamilton did not have that an impressive race and will start in seventh position in the final.