Carlos Sainz races to his first career pole in British Grand Prix
Edges out defending champion Max Verstappen to second position on the grid
Silverstone: Carlos Sainz was fastest in the rain at the British Grand Prix to earn his first career pole position in his 150th start in Saturday qualifying.
Sainz set the fastest time of 1 minute 40.983 seconds late in the third qualifying session to edge reigning Formula One champion Max Verstappen by just .072 seconds. It was the seventh pole in 10 races for Ferrari this season, though it was Sainz’s teammate Charles Leclerc on pole prior to Sainz’s surprise run.
‘‘I didn’t expect that one,’’ Sainz told his team over the radio.
“It was a good lap, I was struggling a lot with the standing water,” said Sainz. “Pole came as a bit of a surprise. The pace has been there all weekend.”
Ferrari and Red Bull fill the second row with Sainz’s teammate Charles Leclerc third and Verstappen’s colleague Sergio Perez in fourth spot.
Seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton qualified fifth for his home race as Mercedes seemed to have made progress with its problems of bouncing at high speed. His teammate George Russell was eighth.