Verstappen denies Norris for British Grand Prix pole

Max Verstappen claimed his fifth straight pole in qualifying Saturday for the British Grand Prix.

The Red Bull double world champion and runaway championship leader is joined on the front row for Sunday’s race by Lando Norris for McLaren.

Formula One rookie Oscar Piastri in the other McLaren starts on the second row alongside Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari.

British driver Norris generated a huge roar from his home crowd when he topped the times with seconds to go only for Verstappen to nudge him out with his final flying lap.

“It’s always Max. He always ruins everything for everyone,” the McLaren man joked afterwards, drawing laughter from the pole-sitter.

“Very lovely that” said Verstappen over the team radio with his Red Bull team seeking an 11th consecutive victory to equal the feat of McLaren in 1988. 

Verstappen, who leads the drivers standings by 81 points, is hunting his sixth straight win but his first ever British Grand Prix victory at the eighth attempt.

Carlos Sainz, last year’s winner, posted the fifth fastest time to start on the third row with George Russell for Mercedes.

His teammate Lewis Hamilton, Alex Albon (Williams), Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso and Pierre Gasly (Alpine) filled out the top 10.