Charles Leclerc gets fourth consecutive pole at Azerbaijan Grand Prix
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Ferrari's Charles Leclerc continued his dominance at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix by securing pole position for the fourth year in a row during Saturday's qualifying session.
The Monaco native, fresh off a victory at Monza, will start from the front row alongside McLaren's Oscar Piastri for Sunday's race.
Meanwhile, reigning three-time world champion Max Verstappen's recent struggles persisted. The Red Bull driver qualified in a surprising sixth position as he looks to break a six-race losing streak. Verstappen's teammate, Sergio Perez, will start on the second row, accompanied by Leclerc's Ferrari teammate, Carlos Sainz.
George Russell of Mercedes delivered the fifth-fastest qualifying lap, placing him on the third row alongside Verstappen. McLaren's Lando Norris, who is currently 62 points behind Verstappen in the championship with eight races left, faced disappointment after being knocked out in the first qualifying round, leaving him to start from 17th on the grid.
Acknowledging the challenge ahead, Norris said, "I'm not expecting a lot from the 17th, but we will put in a good plan tonight and do our best." The narrow streets of Baku, known for limited overtaking opportunities, present a difficult race for the Briton.