Verstappen takes pole for Monaco Grand Prix ahead of Alonso as Perez crashes

Defending Formula One cham‐ pion Max Verstappen produced a superb final lap to take pole posi‐ tion at the Monaco Grand Prix on Saturday and deny Aston Martin veteran Fernando Alonso his first pole in 11 years.

Verstappen called his first pole at Monaco "very lovely" but there was nothing to cheer for his Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez as last year's race winner crashed early in qualifying.

Alpine's Esteban Ocon surpris‐ ingly led near the end of the ses‐ sion before the 41‐year‐old Alonso moved back to the top as he chased a first pole since the German GP in 2012, when he was with Ferrari.

But Verstappen had other ideas as he brushed the walls of the sinewy street circuit to beat Alonso's time by just 0.084 sec‐ onds and clinch his fourth pole of the season and 23rd of his career.

Ferrari's Charles Leclerc was chasing a third straight pole in Monaco but qualified in third, 0.106 behind Verstappen. Ocon ended up in fourth and Ferrari's Carlos Sainz Jr. was fifth ahead of Lewis Hamilton's Mercedes.

Regarded as one of F1's best drivers on street circuits, Perez lost control of the rear when en‐ tering Sainte‐Devote too quickly, thudded into the barriers and bust his left tire.

His Red Bull slid onto the track, forcing a few cars to move around it before a crane lifted it off and debris was cleared.

Leclerc had to swerve around

Sainz late into Q1, while Lewis Hamilton — who crashed near the end of the third and final practice earlier Saturday — left it late to make it into Q2 on a new set of soft tires.

Hamilton struggled with his rear suspension and complained about his tires in Q2, leaving it late again to squeeze into Q3 on his last lap.

"Man this car's hard to drive," Hamilton said on team radio.

Alonso started Q3 with the fastest time and set the tone for a thrilling ending.

"I'm pushing like an animal," he said on team radio.

He came so close, but the Span‐ ish veteran is well placed on Sun‐ day to push for his first win since 2013.