Max Verstappen has claimed pole position for the Dutch Grand Prix following a qualifying session interrupted by multiple red flag periods.
He mastered drying conditions to beat Lando Norris to pole position by 0.5s, with George Russell third best and Alex Albon a sensational fourth.
Qualifying 3 proved a one-lap shootout after Charles Leclerc and Logan Sargeant crashed out to halt the session twice.
Rain ahead of the session had seen the cancellation of the Formula 2 Sprint race but had since eased.
The circuit remained wet, with intermediates unquestionably the correct option, though the sun had broken through the clouds once more.
Early running achieved two things for drivers; it allowed them to get familiar with the conditions and bank an early lap, but it also began to dry the racing line and accelerate track improvement.
It remained slippery, with Nico Hulkenberg and Max Verstappen bouncing through the gravel at Tarzan in the opening minutes of Qualifying 1.
The Dutchman seemed flustered over the radio as Lando Norris shot to the top of the timesheets with a 1:23.260s.
Conditions were improving rapidly, with Verstappen shooting to the top before Norris regained the place, only to lose it to Oscar Piastri by 0.333s.
With three minutes remaining, the rain began to fall again, though not enough to stop drivers from going faster.
George Russell promoted himself to fourth, while Alex Albon seized provisional pole, 0.026s quicker than Verstappen.
Russell slipped to sixth by the time the chequered flag emerged, ruling out Zhou, Esteban Ocon, Kevin Magnussen, Valtteri Bottas and Liam Lawson were all eliminated.
Officials were kept busy with a moment between Carlos Sainz and Piastri catching their eye, the former pushing the McLaren driver off the road as he joined the track from the pit lane.
Impeding was also an issue, with Lewis Hamilton and Lance Stroll also investigated post-session. Another instance between Hamilton and Fernando Alonso was looked at but dismissed.
As Qualifying 2 began, Verstappen recorded a 1:21.921s to go fastest, a full second slower than Albon had managed in Qualifying 1.
The weather was ever-improving, the sun breaking through as the rain abated.
Patches of dry racetrack were beginning to emerge as Verstappen lowered the benchmark to 1:20.282s, encouraging teams to consider when to swap to slick tyres.
None were willing to make the gamble, instead remaining on the intermediate as lap times dipped below the forecast crossover time.
Piastri got the best of it, logging a 1:19.392s to hold provisional pole before Verstappen drove home his advantage with a time half a second clear of the field.
Hamilton was eliminated as Logan Sargeant progressed to Qualifying 3 for the first time in his career.
Lance Stroll will start 11th, followed by Pierre Gasly, Hamilton, Yuki Tsunoda, and Nico Hulkenberg.
As Qualifying 3 began, Piastri headed out on intermediate tyres, though others gambled on slicks; Russell, Albon, Sainz, and Sargeant all braving slicks.
Norris was the only surviving driver not to immediately take to the circuit, while Piastri returned to the lane for a set of slick rubber.
Albon was the first to set a lap, a 1:15.743s, to head the session initially.
His team-mate was second best as he came unstuck, crashing heavily at Turn 2, damaging both ends of his Williams.
The American could climb free before being collected by the FIA Medical Car.
He’d looked to have dropped the left-side wheels onto the wet patch outside of the narrow dry line, the car immediately swapping ends on him as he came to rest in the gravel, having impacted the barrier.
Qualifying resumed with eight minutes remaining, the circuit remaining basked in sunshine.
After the stoppage, all nine remaining drivers immediately headed out, Sainz abandoning his first flying lap.
That left Norris on provisional pole from Piastri, with Verstappen only third fastest – the pole time a 1:12.049s versus the Red Bull driver’s 1:12.389s.
With four minutes remaining, the red flag was shown once more as Charles Leclerc stopped out on track.
Verstappen was on a faster lap but was forced to abandon that after Leclerc found the barriers on the exit of Turn 9.
The Ferrari understeered off, impacting the barrier with the left-side wheels.
There was no stampede as the session got going once more, given there was time, realistically, for a single push lap.
Verstappen was the first to start his final flying lap, the Dutchman improving by a staggering 0.7s in the first split.
Behind him, Norris was also improving and a tenth quicker than the all-conquering Red Bull driver.
He couldn’t hold that pace, however, and Verstappen secured pole from Norris with Russell third, pipping Albon and Alonso.
Sainz was sixth best, followed by Sergio Perez, Piastri, and the luckless Leclerc and Sargeant.
Full 2023 Formula 1 Dutch Grand Prix qualifying results here.
Discussion about this post