Sat Sep 14 17:57:43 UTC 2024: ## Leclerc on Pole, Piastri Second, Norris Starts 17th in Baku
Baku, Azerbaijan – Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc secured his fourth consecutive pole position at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, leaving title rivals Max Verstappen and Lando Norris facing an uphill battle.
Leclerc’s teammate, Carlos Sainz, secured third place, putting both Ferraris in prime positions for Sunday’s race. McLaren’s Oscar Piastri, in second, will be the main threat to Leclerc for the race win.
However, the race for the championship could be a different story. Verstappen, who leads the championship by 62 points, will start sixth after a difficult qualifying session. His Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez qualified fourth, offering a glimmer of hope for the team.
Norris, Verstappen’s closest challenger, had a disastrous qualifying, ending up 17th after encountering yellow flags on his final lap in Q1. This puts the McLaren driver in a challenging position, facing a fight to limit damage rather than launch an attack on the championship leader.
Other notable performances include Franco Colapinto, who qualified ninth for Williams, and a bizarre incident for Alex Albon, who was left with an air fan attached to his car during Q3. The stewards are investigating an unsafe release, but Albon remains optimistic about scoring points in the race.
With Leclerc on pole and Verstappen starting in sixth, the Azerbaijan Grand Prix promises to be a thrilling and unpredictable race.
First Piper 