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Max Verstappen secured a stunning pole position for the 2023 F1 Dutch GP with a last-gasp effort that helped him beat Lando Norris.
The Red Bull driver did an impressive job, as he was able to pull the rabbit out of the hat right at the end of the session.
In what was an action-packed session, we had multiple red flags with Charles Leclerc and Logan Sargeant crashing and some surprises as well.
Having said that, as the dust settles, who will be happy with how the season went and who will be disappointed? Let's find out as we take a look at the winners and losers for the 2023 F1 Dutch GP qualifying.
2023 F1 Dutch GP
Winner
Max Verstappen
This one is on Max. He was on the back foot; McLaren had the pace to be competitive, and then, from out of nowhere, he pulled that lap out.
The lap was peerless, and he delivered it under pressure. It also makes things even more impressive when you see where teammate Sergio Perez qualified.
Loser
Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc
There was a time in F1 when a wet race meant a dominant Lewis Hamilton win. That time is in the distant past now. Getting eliminated in Q2 in a Mercedes when your teammate qualifies for P3 does not look good. The well-known wet-weather prowess that made Lewis stand out is just not there anymore.
Charles Leclerc, on the other hand, has shown a propensity to push hard in qualifying. It is this propensity that led to him securing as many as 20 pole positions in F1.
It's the same thing that caused a costly shunt in the 2023 F1 Dutch GP qualifying. A very disappointing end to a promising session for the Ferrari driver.
Winner
Alex Albon and George Russell
Alex Albon has been getting offers from all across the grid. The silly-season rumor has it that he has been approached by as many as five teams on the grid.
Whether that is true or not, his P4 qualifying position for the 2023 F1 Dutch GP did nothing to quell the hype behind him.
George Russell, on the other hand, needed this one. On Friday, he was still playing catchup against his teammate.
As soon as we had the wet weather conditions, the driver took the car by the scruff of its neck and delivered. This P3 is a very impressive reminder of what he can do in an F1 car.
Loser
Logan Sargeant
One can't help but feel that the 2023 F1 Dutch GP was perhaps the best showcase of talent that Logan could have wished for.
He made it to Q3, and he was right alongside his teammate. Once again, though, the inexperience kicked in, and he crashed the car.
The 2023 F1 Dutch GP and the race next weekend in Monza are arguably the last two opportunities for Logan before Willaims starts looking around. The American will be hoping for a better run in the race on Sunday.
Winner
Aston Martin
A P5 starting position is not bad for Fernando Alonso, and more importantly, it is a positive step forward for the team.
After a disappointing end to the first half of the season, the team's upgrades seem to be working, although we have to wait and see what the car can do in the races.
Loser
Sergio Perez
A P7 qualifying when your teammate is on pole is another reminder for Red Bull that the marriage with Sergio Perez is just not working.
If both Norris and Oscar had hooked up their laps, Max would have been in a McLaren sandwich while his teammate would have been nowhere to be found. The seat at Red Bull is slipping from Sergio's hands as he continues to disappoint.
