
Valtteri Bottas has claimed back-to-back pole positions in Formula 1 for the first time in his career, after he took pole position for the 2019 Azerbaijan Grand Prix in an entertaining qualifying. Team-mate Lewis Hamilton qualified in second place once again to make it a second consecutive front-row lockout for Mercedes, and their third front row lockout in the opening four races. Sebastian Vettel of Ferrari qualified in third, ahead of Red Bull driver Max Verstappen.
Things however, did not quite go to plan for Vettel's team-mate Charles Leclerc, who crashed into the wall during Q2 and thus could not take any further part in qualifying. Another driver who hit the wall was Williams' Robert Kubica at the end of Q1, which caused a very lengthy delay as the marshals (who, it must be said, were not the most competent) needed to repair the barriers.
Starting grid:
Valtteri Bottas - Mercedes
Lewis Hamilton - Mercedes
Sebastian Vettel - Ferrari Max Verstappen - Red Bull Racing-Honda
Sergio Perez - Racing Point-BWT Mercedes
Daniil Kvyat - Scuderia Toro Rosso-Honda
Lando Norris - McLaren-Renaultt
Kimi Raikkonen - Alfa Romeo Racing-Ferrari
Charles Leclerc - Ferrari
Carlos Sainz - McLaren-Renault
Daniel Ricciardo - Renault
Alexander Albon - Scuderia Toro Rosso-Honda
Kevin Magnussen - Haas-Ferrari
Lance Stroll - Racing Point-BWT Mercedes
Romain Grosjean - Haas-Ferrari
Nico Hulkenberg - Renault
George Russell - Williams-Mercedes
Antonio Giovinazzi - Alfa Romeo Racing-Ferrari
Robert Kubica - Williams-Mercedes
Note: Pierre Gasly (Red Bull Racing-Honda) will start from the pitlane