Results
Formula 1 Saudi Arabia GP
F1 Grand Prix qualifying results: Hamilton takes Saudi pole
Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton took pole position for the inaugural Saudi Arabian Grand Prix at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit, as title rival Max Verstappen crashed at the very last corner of his final lap.
Charles Bradley
Edited: Dec 4, 2021, 7:48 PM
Copy link
Share on Viber
Hamilton will start ahead of Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas and Verstappen after the one-hour qualifying session, which is split into three segments with five cars each being knocked out in Q1 and Q2 before the top-10 shootout of Q3.
Read Also:
Saudi Arabian Grand Prix qualifying results: Hamilton on pole from Bottas
Cla Driver Time Gap km/h 1 Lewis Hamilton
1'27.511 253.984 2 Valtteri Bottas
1'27.622 0.111 253.662 3 Max Verstappen
1'27.653 0.142 253.572 4 Charles Leclerc
1'28.054 0.543 252.417 5 Sergio Perez
1'28.123 0.612 252.220 6 Pierre Gasly
1'28.125 0.614 252.214 7 Lando Norris
1'28.180 0.669 252.057 8 Yuki Tsunoda
1'28.442 0.931 251.310 9 Esteban Ocon
1'28.647 1.136 250.729 10 Antonio Giovinazzi
1'28.754 1.243 250.427 11 Daniel Ricciardo
1'28.668 1.157 250.669 12 Kimi Raikkonen
1'28.885 1.374 250.057 13 Fernando Alonso
1'28.920 1.409 249.959 14 George Russell
1'29.054 1.543 249.583 15 Carlos Sainz Jr.
1'53.652 26.141 195.565 16 Nicholas Latifi
1'29.177 1.666 249.239 17 Sebastian Vettel
1'29.198 1.687 249.180 18 Lance Stroll
1'29.368 1.857 248.706 19 Mick Schumacher
1'29.464 1.953 248.439 20 Nikita Mazepin
1'30.473 2.962 245.668 View full results
What happened in Q1?
Verstappen set the early bar in Q1, lapping in 1m28.659s, while Hamilton went off at Turn 1 on his first run. After a cruise lap, Hamilton took P1 away with a lap of 1m28.466s.
As the track evolved, Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz grabbed the top spot from Hamilton with a lap of 1m28.330s. Verstappen ran again on the same tyres and took P1 back with 1m28.285s, despite a big moment at Turn 2, before Bottas went quickest on 1m28.057s – this despite an engine change since FP3.
Read Also:
Perez then went fastest at 1m28.021s, as teammate Verstappen was forced to abort his last flying lap due to a huge traffic jam of cars at the final corner, while Bottas – who pipped Perez by 0.036s – reported a severe engine misfire and was forced to pit. McLaren’s Daniel Ricciardo jumped to third, ahead of Sainz and Verstappen.
Falling at the first hurdle were Nicholas Latifi (Williams), the Aston Martins of Sebastian Vettel and Lance Stroll, and the Haas cars of Mick Schumacher and Nikita Mazepin.
Saudi Arabian Grand Prix Q1 results: Perez fastest from Bottas
Cla Driver Chassis Laps Time Gap Interval km/h 1 Sergio Perez
Red Bull 9 1'28.021 252.512 2 Valtteri Bottas
Mercedes 9 1'28.057 0.036 0.036 252.409 3 Daniel Ricciardo
McLaren 9 1'28.216 0.195 0.159 251.954 4 Carlos Sainz Jr.
Ferrari 9 1'28.237 0.216 0.021 251.894 5 Max Verstappen
Red Bull 8 1'28.285 0.264 0.048 251.757 6 Charles Leclerc
Ferrari 9 1'28.310 0.289 0.025 251.686 7 Lando Norris
McLaren 8 1'28.338 0.317 0.028 251.606 8 Pierre Gasly
AlphaTauri 10 1'28.401 0.380 0.063 251.427 9 Lewis Hamilton
Mercedes 7 1'28.466 0.445 0.065 251.242 10 Yuki Tsunoda
AlphaTauri 10 1'28.503 0.482 0.037 251.137 11 Esteban Ocon
Alpine 10 1'28.752 0.731 0.249 250.432 12 Kimi Raikkonen
Alfa Romeo 10 1'28.856 0.835 0.104 250.139 13 Antonio Giovinazzi
Alfa Romeo 10 1'28.899 0.878 0.043 250.018 14 George Russell
Williams 10 1'28.926 0.905 0.027 249.942 15 Fernando Alonso
Alpine 10 1'28.944 0.923 0.018 249.892 16 Nicholas Latifi
Williams 9 1'29.177 1.156 0.233 249.239 17 Sebastian Vettel
Aston Martin 10 1'29.198 1.177 0.021 249.180 18 Lance Stroll
Aston Martin 9 1'29.368 1.347 0.170 248.706 19 Mick Schumacher
Haas 9 1'29.464 1.443 0.096 248.439 20 Nikita Mazepin
Haas 8 1'30.473 2.452 1.009 245.668 View full results
What happened in Q2?
The pole position hunters started this session using the medium tyre, with Verstappen setting the early pace at 1m27.953s ahead of Perez by 0.222s and Bottas by 0.277s.
Hamilton ran again, and vaulted up to second, 0.115s off Verstappen’s pace. Perez did likewise and went to the top with 1m27.946s – 0.007s quicker than his championship-leading teammate.
Hamilton went for a third push lap and took P1 near the end of the session with a 1m27.712s, ahead of Perez, Verstappen, Bottas and Yuki Tsunoda (AlphaTauri).
Knocked out at this point were Daniel Ricciardo (McLaren), Kimi Raikkonen (Alfa, who hit a dawdling Bottas on his final lap), Fernando Alonso (Alpine) and George Russell (Williams).
Sainz was slowest of all, after suffering a huge spin at Turn 10 and brushing the wall with his rear wing. On his final run, he had another massive moment – declaring the car “undriveable” – and he was forced to back out.
Saudi Arabian Grand Prix Grand Prix Q2 results: Hamilton fastest from Perez
Cla Driver Chassis Laps Time Gap Interval km/h 1 Lewis Hamilton
Mercedes 9 1'27.712 253.402 2 Sergio Perez
Red Bull 9 1'27.946 0.234 0.234 252.727 3 Max Verstappen
Red Bull 6 1'27.953 0.241 0.007 252.707 4 Valtteri Bottas
Mercedes 7 1'28.054 0.342 0.101 252.417 5 Yuki Tsunoda
AlphaTauri 9 1'28.222 0.510 0.168 251.937 6 Pierre Gasly
AlphaTauri 9 1'28.314 0.602 0.092 251.674 7 Lando Norris
McLaren 8 1'28.344 0.632 0.030 251.589 8 Charles Leclerc
Ferrari 8 1'28.459 0.747 0.115 251.262 9 Esteban Ocon
Alpine 7 1'28.574 0.862 0.115 250.935 10 Antonio Giovinazzi
Alfa Romeo 6 1'28.616 0.904 0.042 250.817 11 Daniel Ricciardo
McLaren 8 1'28.668 0.956 0.052 250.669 12 Kimi Raikkonen
Alfa Romeo 8 1'28.885 1.173 0.217 250.057 13 Fernando Alonso
Alpine 7 1'28.920 1.208 0.035 249.959 14 George Russell
Williams 7 1'29.054 1.342 0.134 249.583 15 Carlos Sainz Jr.
Ferrari 7 1'53.652 25.940 24.598 195.565 View full results
What happened in Q3?
On the first runs, Hamilton suffered a huge slide and had to abort his opening attempt. Bottas set the bar at 1m28.143s, with Hamilton beating him with 1m28.035s.
Verstappen unleashed a 1m27.653s on his first flyer, while Bottas improved to P2 at his second attempt.
On the final runs, Hamilton took P1 with 1m27.511s, 0.111s ahead of Bottas. Verstappen almost clipped the wall exiting Turn 2, but having set the fastest first two sectors, he locked his left-front entering the final corner, and whacked the wall properly on the exit after seeming all set to take pole. He was forced to park up with broken suspension.
Read Also:
- Verstappen doesn't know what happened in "terrible" Q3 crash
- Red Bull "won't hesitate" to swap Verstappen's gearbox after crash
Verstappen will start third, ahead of Charles Leclerc (Ferrari), Perez, Pierre Gasly (AlphaTauri), Lando Norris (McLaren), Tsunoda, Esteban Ocon (Alpine) and Antonio Giovinazzi (Alfa Romeo).
Saudi Arabian Grand Prix Q3 results: Hamilton takes pole
Cla Driver Chassis Laps Time Gap Interval km/h 1 Lewis Hamilton
Mercedes 7 1'27.511 253.984 2 Valtteri Bottas
Mercedes 9 1'27.622 0.111 0.111 253.662 3 Max Verstappen
Red Bull 5 1'27.653 0.142 0.031 253.572 4 Charles Leclerc
Ferrari 7 1'28.054 0.543 0.401 252.417 5 Sergio Perez
Red Bull 5 1'28.123 0.612 0.069 252.220 6 Pierre Gasly
AlphaTauri 7 1'28.125 0.614 0.002 252.214 7 Lando Norris
McLaren 5 1'28.180 0.669 0.055 252.057 8 Yuki Tsunoda
AlphaTauri 7 1'28.442 0.931 0.262 251.310 9 Esteban Ocon
Alpine 5 1'28.647 1.136 0.205 250.729 10 Antonio Giovinazzi
Alfa Romeo 5 1'28.754 1.243 0.107 250.427 View full results
Read Also:
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article Verstappen doesn't know what happened in "terrible" Q3 crash
Next article Leclerc 'closed my eyes' at FP2 shunt site in Jeddah F1 qualifying
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Charles Bradley
Mika Hakkinen on his darkest day in F1
Formula 1
Formula 1
Mika Hakkinen on his darkest day in F1
Dillon: Spotter was “wrong” to shout “wreck him!” before Hamlin clash
NASCAR Cup
NASCAR Cup
Richmond II
Dillon: Spotter was “wrong” to shout “wreck him!” before Hamlin clash
Hamlin: NASCAR stripping Dillon of win would be “warranted”
NASCAR Cup
NASCAR Cup
Richmond II
Hamlin: NASCAR stripping Dillon of win would be “warranted”
Latest news
“It will be so sad” - MotoGP riders lament loss of Phillip Island
MotoGP
MGP MotoGP
Australian GP
39 min
“It will be so sad” - MotoGP riders lament loss of Phillip Island
NASCAR explains why they penalized Zane Smith after latest clash with Carson Hocevar
NASCAR Cup
NAS NASCAR Cup
Phoenix II
15 h
NASCAR explains why they penalized Zane Smith after latest clash with Carson Hocevar
Porsche boss Laudenbach says he is "not happy" with how things were handled by IMSA in 2026
IMSA
IMSA IMSA 15 h
Porsche boss Laudenbach says he is "not happy" with how things were handled by IMSA in 2026
Five things to watch out for at the F1 United States GP
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
United States GP
16 h
Five things to watch out for at the F1 United States GP
Feature
Discover prime content
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe