(Reuters) -Max Verstappen delivered the performance his home fans expected by taking pole position at the Dutch Grand Prix for the third year in a row on Saturday, after a crash-strewn wet-to-dry qualifying at Zandvoort.
The outcome left Red Bull’s runaway championship leader perfectly placed for a record-equalling ninth successive win on Sunday, with his team chasing a 14th straight victory.
The orange army packing the grandstands through rain and shine still had an anxious afternoon, with McLaren’s Lando Norris looking the main threat until the dying seconds.
Norris, fastest when the session was halted with four minutes remaining after Charles Leclerc crashed his Ferrari, ended up second.
Verstappen’s time of one minute 10.567 seconds on a drying track was 0.537 faster than Norris could manage.
“Every now and then you hope Max makes a mistake, and he doesn’t, so it’s frustrating in a little way,” commented the Briton as the crowd got the party going.
Six different teams filled the top six places, with George Russell third for Mercedes, Alex Albon fourth for Williams, Fernando Alonso fifth for Aston Martin and Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz sixth.
Reuters
