Max Verstappen explains risk of vital call in contrast to Lando Norris

Max Verstappen has conceded that the vital call that allowed him to claim a crucial pole position for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix was not without a high degree of risk.

Verstappen secured the 46th pole position of his F1 career after emerging unscathed from a chaotic qualifying session in which there were a record six red flags following crashes or incidents for Williams' Alex Albon, the Sauber of Nico Hulkenberg, Alpine's Franco Colapinto, Haas driver Oliver Bearman, Charles Leclerc in his Ferrari, and finally, McLaren's Oscar Piastri.

Piastri smashed into a wall, leaving less than four minutes on the clock in Q3, and with only three drivers having set a lap time - Carlos Sainz in his Williams, and Racing Bulls duo Liam Lawson and Isack Hadjar.

With very light rain falling, leaving the surface greasy and unpredictable on either the soft or medium tyres, Lando Norris headed out first in his McLaren, a decision that, with hindsight post-event, he said was the incorrect call.

In contrast, Verstappen patiently bided his time before emerging from the garage, albeit fully aware that in doing so, another crash would leave him without a time to his name and starting in the lower reaches of the top 10 on the grid.

Asked if he made the right call, Verstappen said: "Well, it wouldn’t really matter too much because if anyone had crashed, then there would have been no laps for the people that didn’t have a lap.

"I just didn’t want to be first because you lose a bit to the line. So that meant that we were almost at the back, but that was okay. That was a call that we made."

Verstappen coy on race prospects

Verstappen explained that throughout qualifying, he was unable to get into a rhythm, given all the interruptions before ultimately declaring himself naturally "very happy" to be on pole.

The conditions were made all the more difficult by the strong wind, on average around 30kph, with gusts of up to 60kph.

Dissecting the unpredictability, he said: "This track is already hard enough without anything.

"With the strong winds that we had, the car was moving around a lot - understeer, oversteer in different places, even on the straight, going left to right.

"To basically nail everything, but then also the big interruptions that we had, it was just very tricky. Luckily, we did quite well."

Despite starting from pole, and with Norris and Piastri seventh and ninth, Verstappen refused to offer a decisive view on how he feels his race will unfold.

"Difficult to say at the moment," he said. "Of course, it’s a good starting position.

"We just have to try and do our own race, to be honest. Hopefully the car is kind on its tyres, that we can look after them, and just go from there."