"That was insane" - Max Verstappen reacts after securing pole for 2022 F1 Dutch GP

Max Verstappen took pole position at the 2022 F1 Dutch GP, pipping his championship rival Charles Leclerc by the narrowest of margins. The Dutchman will start Sunday's race at the front of the grid after his teammate Sergio Perez spun out in the final corner, stopping others from improving their lap times.

Verstappen scored his second consecutive pole position on home soil after managing only the eighth fastest time on Friday. Both Ferraris came extremely close to beating the Dutchman in Zandvoort, with the top three separated by less than a tenth of a second. Meanwhile, both Mercedes cars seem to have found pace in the Netherlands, but a late spin by Perez stopped both drivers from finishing their Q3 laps at full pace.

Speaking to former F1 driver Giedo Van der Garde after the session, Max Verstappen said:

“Unbelievable. Especially after yesterday as well. We had a difficult day but we worked overnight with the whole team to turn it around and today we had a good race car but again it was very close. A lap around here... That was insane.”

When asked if the team had changed its setup since yesterday, Verstappen said:

“We changed a lot because yesterday was a bit rushed in FP2 to get the car together.”

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Charles Leclerc won't be able to catch Max Verstappen in 2022, claims Mika Hakkinen

Max Verstappen will not be caught by Charles Leclerc in the race for the 2022 F1 Drivers' World championship, according to two-time champion Mika Hakkinen.

Verstappen's form in 2022 has been the stuff of legends, as was proven at last week's Belgian GP, where the Dutchman won the race from P14 on the grid.

In the process, Verstappen also became the first driver since Bruce McLaren to win consecutive races after starting outside the top 10. The 24-year-old went into the summer break after winning the Hungarian GP, where he started in P10.

In his column for Unibet, Hakkinen commented on Leclerc's battle with Verstappen, saying:

“At the moment it is very difficult to see Leclerc challenging Verstappen for the title. There are only eight races left and Verstappen has a 93-point lead. The Red Bull car seems to be getting even quicker. On top of that, Ferrari just don’t seem to have the consistency and confidence, so although I expect Leclerc to be able to win again, I don’t think he will be able to keep Verstappen from adding to his lead.”

With Charles Leclerc starting alongside Max Verstappen for Sunday's main race, the Ferrari driver can hope for a win against his rival, giving him the momentum he needs for the rest of the year.