Norris 17th as Leclerc takes Azerbaijan GP pole

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc took rod position astatine nan Azerbaijan Grand Prix for nan 4th twelvemonth successful a statement arsenic title rivals Max Verstappen and Lando Norris commencement sixth and 17th.

Norris, who is trying to adjacent a 62-point spread to Verstappen, encountered yellowish flags connected his last thigh successful nan first convention and faces a difficult Sunday.

Verstappen is successful amended style but could still negociate only sixth fastest arsenic Red Bull continued to struggle for gait compared to their rivals.

Verstappen’s problems - his team-mate Sergio Perez was 2 places up of him successful 4th spot - provided Norris a cleanable opportunity to capitalise.

The Briton’s team-mate Oscar Piastri qualified 2nd to Leclerc and up of nan 2nd Ferrari of Carlos Sainz.

But Norris’ difficulties successful nan first convention intends he will beryllium trying to limit nan harm alternatively than inflict it connected nan Dutchman.

Leclerc, who was 0.321 seconds quicker than Piastri, will beryllium going for his 2nd triumph successful a statement aft triumph successful Ferrari’s location Italian Grand Prix 2 weeks ago.

But contempt his matchless gait complete 1 thigh successful Baku, he has ne'er won a expansive prix astir nan streets of nan metropolis connected nan shores of nan Caspian Sea.

“In nan past awe person been struggling connected title gait but this twelvemonth we are amended successful nan races truthful I americium dream we tin yet do it tomorrow,” Leclerc said.

Leclerc has had an action-packed weekend, crashing successful first believe connected Friday and past suffering problems pinch his car successful nan 2nd session, 2 problems that costs him astir half his accustomed moving clip connected nan first time of nan weekend.

“It is 1 of my favourite tracks. I really for illustration it,” Leclerc said, adding that it had “not been an easy weekend.

“I was a spot not worried and I knew we had to dress up immoderate clip but nan gait was ever location and successful qualifying it was each astir trying to enactment arsenic acold arsenic imaginable from nan walls and past successful nan past thigh I went for it a spot much and nan thigh clip came very nicely.”

Norris was connected people to make it done into nan 2nd convention comfortably but a yellowish emblem and he approached nan last consecutive meant he had to backmost disconnected and nan thigh was ruined.

Norris said: “The thigh was easy bully capable but location was a yellowish emblem truthful I had to backmost off.

“Following is beautiful overmuch intolerable astir present and overtaking is simply a batch worse than everyone thinks.

“I americium not expecting overmuch from 17th, but we will put successful a bully scheme coming and do our champion of course. I person been wrong, and I dream location are plentifulness of chances, but I’m not expecting so.”

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