Sat Sep 14 15:07:37 UTC 2024: ## Leclerc Takes Pole Position in Azerbaijan, Norris Suffers Qualifying Setback

**BAKU, Azerbaijan (AP)** – Charles Leclerc secured pole position for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix on Saturday, putting Ferrari in a strong position for the race. The Monegasque driver, who won the previous race in Italy, edged out McLaren’s Oscar Piastri by a margin of .321 seconds. Leclerc’s performance marks a significant turnaround after a crash in the first practice session on Friday.

“It hasn’t been an easy weekend because of obviously the crash in FP1, which didn’t make me lose confidence,” Leclerc said. “I knew that the pace was there.”

Meanwhile, Lando Norris, second in the championship standings, suffered a disappointing qualifying session, finishing in 17th place. A yellow flag, reportedly caused by Esteban Ocon’s slow-moving Alpine, forced Norris to lift during his final lap, preventing him from securing a place within the top 15.

“I had to lift because of a yellow flag,” Norris said. “Bit frustrating, but nothing I can do.”

Norris’ teammate, Piastri, will start from second on the grid, aiming for his second career victory. Despite a strong performance from McLaren, the team confirmed their focus remains on supporting Norris’ championship bid.

Defending champion Max Verstappen finished in sixth place, having failed to improve on his final qualifying lap. His teammate, Sergio Perez, outpaced Verstappen in qualifying for the first time this season, finishing fourth.

A bizarre incident occurred in the final qualifying session when Williams driver Alex Albon stopped on the track after leaving the pits. The team had left a large piece of cooling equipment in his air intake. Albon, who qualified 10th, is facing an investigation from the stewards.

Franco Colapinto, in his second Formula 1 race weekend, achieved the best qualifying result for an Argentinian driver in 42 years, finishing ninth.

The race, which could have a major impact on the Formula 1 championship standings, is set to take place on Sunday.

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