Verstappen takes Dutch GP pole for third year in a row

:Formula One championship leader Max Verstappen put Red Bull on pole position for his home Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort for the third year in a row on Saturday after a tricky, crash-strewn qualifying.

McLaren's Lando Norris joined the home hero on the front row, with fellow Briton George Russell third fastest for Mercedes and Alex Albon an impressive fourth for Williams on a drying track.

The pole was Verstappen's eighth of the season, 28th of his career, and he did it with only one flying lap available after Charles Leclerc crashed his Ferrari and halted qualifying with four minutes remaining.

The session had already been red-flagged with eight minutes to go when U.S. rookie Logan Sargeant slammed his Williams into the barriers after reaching the top 10 shootout for the first time.

"It was all about putting your laps in but also staying out of trouble. I think we managed that quite well," said Verstappen, who has won his home race ever since it returned to the calendar in 2021.

"At the end when we could go onto slick tyres again there was one dry line in some places and we had to risk it a bit. But that last lap was very enjoyable," added the 25-year-old, who started the drier final phase on intermediates.

"I think we underestimated maybe a little bit with the wind and then the sun coming out how quickly it dried...but at the end of the day it didn't matter and we still did the right thing."

Red Bull's Sergio Perez, Verstappen's team mate and closest rival but 125 points behind him after 12 of 22 races, qualified seventh.

Verstappen will be chasing his ninth win in a row on Sunday to equal the record set by now-retired Sebastian Vettel, also with Red Bull, in 2013.

"Every now and then you hope Max makes a mistake, and he