Posted by Lewis Hamilton won pole for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix when title challenger Max Verstappen wrecked while attempting to beat Hamilton’s pace.
Verstappen slammed the wall on the exit of the penultimate corner in a nail-biting qualifying session, just as he appeared to be on his way to displacing Hamilton from the pole position.
Verstappen appeared to be neck and neck with Red Bull on what appeared to be a flawless lap, but he was late on the brakes for Turn 27 and skidded wide on the exit, breaking his rear suspension.
To add insult to injury, Valtteri Bottas, Hamilton’s teammate, also topped Verstappen’s earlier fastest time to join Hamilton on the front row.
There will also be speculation over whether Verstappen’s gearbox was damaged. If it needs to be replaced, he will be penalized five positions on the grid, dropping from third to eighth.
Source: BBC Sport