Overview

• Max Verstappen secures pole position for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, aiming for his ninth consecutive victory.
• Charles Leclerc and Sergio Pérez are Verstappen's top competitors, with Leclerc starting alongside Verstappen.
• Ollie Bearman makes an unexpected F1 debut for Ferrari, qualifying in P11 after Carlos Sainz's appendicitis diagnosis.
• The Saudi Arabian GP is noted for its challenging high-speed street circuit, with low tire degradation and close walls.
• The F1 field shows a split between the top five teams and the rest, with Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso impressing in qualifying.