F1: 'Didn't expect to be on P1', says reigning champion Max Verstappen as Red Bull takes pole at Saudi Arabia Grand Prix

Max Verstappen stormed to an incredible pole position for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix amid a dramatic end to qualifying that saw the Dutchman beat Oscar Piastri by just one-hundredth of a second, while Lando Norris suffered a hefty crash early in Q3.

"Very happy! I definitely didn't expect to be on pole here," said Verstappen after the qualifying session. "The car came alive in the night, we made some final changes and it was more enjoyable to drive, the grip was coming to me. I think tomorrow in the race, it will be tough to keep them (McLaren) behind, but we'll give it a good go," he added.

Meanwhile, McLaren's Oscar Piastri came agonizing close to secure the pole position but fell short by the narrowest of margins. Despite the heartbreak, the young Aussie reflected on the qualifying session. He said, “It hurts a little bit to be so close, but I was pretty happy with my lap to be honest. There wasn’t a whole lot left in it.”

Piastri admitted that the McLaren team had to dig deep this weekend ahead of the race. “It’s not been as straightforward as last weekend. We’ve had to work pretty hard.” The silver lining? He feels confident in the car’s race pace, even if overtaking may prove tricky at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit. “It’s going to be incredibly tough with the air, but I am not willing rule anything out.”

Mercedes' George Russell, who will line up third on the grid, echoed a similar mix of satisfaction and frustration. “I am happy with P3, but I felt there was a bit more on the table,” he said, pointing to a slight mistake in the final sector as the difference-maker. “At Sector 3, I feel that I  just lost like a tenth and a half on myself. The gap was a tenth. I’m kicking myself a bit about the incident," he added.

Strategy could be the game-changer on Sunday, Russell hinted. “If Oscar gets into the lead, he could be gone. Lando might start on the hards, and if a safety car falls at the right time… who knows?”

For Williams' Alex Albon, the frustration was more raw. Seven thousandths of a second kept him from Q3—a margin that he quickly traced back to the team's decision on timing. “We were in the middle, completely in the middle. No track circulation, no tunnelling effects, and we paid the price.”

But it was Lando Norris who perhaps felt the biggest sting. After a smooth weekend full of promise, a mistake in Q3 led to a crash, ending his session and hopes of a top grid slot. “I’m disappointed, but I’m fine,” he said, trying to shake it off. “It’s been such a positive weekend, so to have a big setback like that… yeah, it sucks. But I’ve got to take it on the chin.”

“If we can aim for a top five or something, then I’ll be happy," he added.

And then, of course, there was Max Verstappen. The reigning champion was in red-hot form once again. “This track needs a lot of commitment,” he said. “The car gave me the confidence, and we made good changes heading into qualifying.” What made it sweeter was the sense of progression—each session building, each lap quicker. But he isn’t counting his trophies just yet.

“Tomorrow is another story. The race runs from McLaren have looked very strong, especially when the temps rise. The challenge? Keeping them behind. But I’ll give it everything.”