Charles Leclerc set himself up for a potential emotional win at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix by securing pole position for the fourth consecutive year in Baku. The Monegasque driver, who previously triumphed at Monaco in May and at Monza two weeks ago, delivered a superb performance to outpace McLaren's Oscar Piastri by three-tenths of a second. Despite having secured pole positions in previous years, Leclerc has yet to convert these into victories in Azerbaijan.
In a dramatic qualifying session, title contender Lando Norris from McLaren was eliminated in Q1, starting from 17th place. Leclerc's final lap of 1:43.365 was enough to earn him his 26th career pole position, while series leader Max Verstappen of Red Bull, who holds a 62-point lead over Norris, could only manage sixth place.
Leclerc expressed his satisfaction with his performance, noting that despite a crash in FP1 which initially dampened his confidence, he was able to achieve a strong lap. He highlighted that his Ferrari felt excellent, particularly at a track he enjoys, and emphasized the importance of managing tire performance for the race ahead.
His Ferrari teammate, Carlos Sainz, qualified third, setting up a promising grid for the team. Sainz acknowledged that while he has struggled with the track in the past, his current position and strong race pace provide an optimistic outlook. Red Bull's Sergio Perez qualified fourth, while Mercedes' George Russell and Verstappen rounded out the top six. Seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton qualified seventh, followed by Fernando Alonso of Aston Martin and Franco Colapinto of Williams, who outpaced his teammate Alex Albon.
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