Verstappen on pole for Saudi Grand Prix as Norris crashes in qualifying

World champion Max Verstappen put Red Bull on pole position for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in track-record time on Saturday as McLaren's Formula One leader Lando Norris hit the wall and qualified IOth.

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McLaren's Oscar Piastri, bidding to become the first Australian to lead the standings since Mark Webber in 2010, joined the four-times world champion on the front row for Sunday's night race.

Mercedes's George Russell and Ferrari's Charles Leclerc will share the second row in third and fourth at the super-fast Corniche circuit where the winner has come from pole three out of four times previously.

"The car came alive in the night," exclaimed Verstappen after pipping Piastri by a mere O.OIO of a second. The pole position changed hands three times in a final flurry of flying laps before the champion settled matters with a time of one minute 27.294 seconds.

"I think in the race it will be difficult to keep them behind. But we will give it a good go," said Verstappen, winner last year.

Italian 18-year-old rookie Kimi Antonelli qualified fifth for Mercedes, with Carlos Sainz sixth for Williams and Lewis Hamilton only seventh for Ferrari.