Red Bull's Max Verstappen took his first Monaco Grand Prix pole position on Saturday with a breathtaking final qualifying lap to deny Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso the crucial top slot.
Alonso, 41, will start alongside Verstappen on the front row of the grid, with Ferrari's Charles Leclerc in third. Verstappen's team mate Sergio Perez crashed in the first qualifying session and will start last.
Verstappen set the fastest time of one minute 11.365 seconds to beat Alonso by just 0.084 seconds. Alonso had looked set to take pole after setting the fastest time in the first two sectors of the lap, but Verstappen produced a stunning final sector to snatch the top spot.
"Oh my God I hit the wall two times," gasped Verstappen over the radio after crossing the line. "But very lovely."
Alonso was delighted with his second-place finish. "It's a great result," he said. "We've been struggling a bit this weekend, so to get second is a big achievement."
Leclerc was disappointed to miss out on pole, but he is confident of challenging for the win on Sunday. "It's a shame to not be on pole, but I'm happy with third," he said. "We'll see what we can do tomorrow."
Perez's crash means that he will start last on Sunday. The Mexican will need a miracle to get back into the points.
The Haas cars of Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hulkenberg failed to make it through the first qualifying session. Both drivers will start at the back of the grid.
Aston Martin's Lance Stroll also had a disappointing qualifying, finishing in 14th place.
The Monaco Grand Prix is one of the most prestigious races on the Formula One calendar. The race is held on a street circuit, which makes it very difficult to overtake. This means that qualifying is often more important than the race itself.
Verstappen's pole position is a major boost for his title hopes. The Dutchman is currently leading the championship by 14 points from Perez. With a strong performance in Monaco, Verstappen could extend his lead and put himself in a strong position to win the title.
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