Valtteri Bottas snatched pole position for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, after a dramatic qualifying on Saturday.
In an eventful session which included two red flags, it was Lewis Hamilton who looked set for top spot after a strong first run in Q3.
But in the frantic last-gasp attempts, it would be Bottas who benefitted from a slipstream to finish just 0.059s ahead with a 1m40.495s, a new track record.
Hamilton had to settle for second as Sebastian Vettel recovered from a tricky position to claim third on a mixed day for Ferrari.
That’s because the big shock came in Q2 as the fastest man all weekend, Charles Leclerc, crashed at Turn 8 on his second flying lap, causing a red flag.
The Monegasque’s initial best on the Medium tyre was fast enough to make the top 10 but instead, he locked up and went straight into the barrier at the narrowest corner on the circuit
His crash came 10 minutes after the marshals had repaired the same barrier following Robert Kubica making the same mistake at the end of Q1.
Behind the top three, Max Verstappen appeared a threat for pole initially but didn’t have the pace in Q3 as he claimed fourth in the Red Bull.
In the midfield, Sergio Perez lived up to his billing as a Baku specialist in fifth for Racing Point, just ahead of Daniil Kvyat as Toro Rosso’s strong weekend continued.
Lando Norris also returned to Q3 for the third time this season in P7 for McLaren, while the two Alfa Romeo’s of Antonio Giovinazzi and Kimi Raikkonen completed the top nine.
Following the delay to recover Leclerc’s stricken Ferrari, the dash to make the top 10 with the gaps proving tiny around the second longest circuit on the calendar.
Carlos Sainz missed out by just 0.017s in P11 for McLaren, with Daniel Ricciardo, who was very fortunate to make Q2 just before Kubica’s crash, only 0.079s behind in 12th for Renault.
Alex Albon had looked fast all weekend but was also caught out by the fine margins in P13, as Kevin Magnussen ruined his final effort and had to settle for 14th.
Pierre Gasly was already set for a pit-lane start on Sunday and opted not to run at all in the second part of qualifying.
Lance Stroll would be the driver to drop down to P16 after Ricciardo’s late Q1 effort in the Racing Point, as his difficult weekend continues.
Likewise, Romain Grosjean’s woes around Baku continued in 17th for Haas.
Nico Hulkenberg showed how his teammate had outperformed the Renault car as he could only manage 18th on the grid.
And, despite missing out on all of Friday after his smash against a drain cover, George Russell would be the lead Williams in 19th, four-tenths clear of Kubica.
Full results from qualifying can be seen below:
