If the rain could dampen Max Verstappen’s dominance this season, it proved justified as Carlos Sainz took the first pole position of his F1 career.
The stunned and amused Spaniard asked his team over the race radio during his 150th Grand Prix weekend: “No, I didn’t expect that…how did I do P1?” taking pole from Verstappen on his last flying lap of the session.
Verstappen had the chance to take pole, but was held up in the second sector and had to make do with second place in Sunday’s British Grand Prix.
The defending champion had looked in a league of his own all Saturday, after surpassing practice times by nearly half a second and then the first two qualifying sessions.
But in Q3 he spun dramatically and did well to make it on his first flying lap, then slipped into the lead-out area on his next attempt. It was a case of third luck as he took what appeared to be pole for Sainz’s great lap, which Verstappen couldn’t have done better.
Afterwards, the Ferrari driver said: “In the end I put together a lap that I thought was nothing special and it was pole position, which came as a bit of a surprise.
“The pace has been there all weekend. We should be in a good position to hold it.”
A number of teams arrived with the expectation of an increase on the grid. Mercedes had arrived with their much anticipated upgrade package of new front suspension, rear wing, sidepod and floor.
But while Lewis Hamilton briefly played with the front row of the grid, he had to make do with fifth place behind a second row of Charles Leclerc and Sergio Perez. Lando Norris was sixth with George Russell in eighth.
The rain fell just before Q1 started, leading to a line of cars lining up to be first on the grid on the intermediates before the rain got even heavier.
Valtteri Bottas was the only driver to spin in the first qualifying run as Verstappen led the procession. It made for a terrible session for both the Aston Martins and both Haas cars, neither of which made it to Q2.
It sparked protests from Sebastian Vettel, but also Alex Albon, in a Williams with a slew of upgrades in hopes of getting his team on the grid, behind teammate Nicholas Latifi in the older Williams.
It turned out to be an unforgettable qualifying for Latifi, who reached Q3 for the first time in his Formula 1 career.
If his appearance in the final session came as a surprise, there were notable absentees in Daniel Ricciardo, ostensibly safe in his job at McLaren next season but horribly off the pace of team-mate Norris.
During Q2 as conditions deteriorated Sainz was in danger of missing out, but timed a lap just before the rain got harder. As the skies opened up again, Hamilton complained of tire vibration while team-mate Russell complained of a lack of grip.
It made for a tense final in Q3 with the lead changing hands before Sainz did enough for pole.