Max Verstappen's mother Sophie Kumpen reacts as the driver secures pole position for the F1 Azerbaijan GP

Max Verstappen secured the pole position for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, continuing his impressive qualifying streak on from the Italian GP. Ecstatic with the Red Bull driver's performance, his mother, Sophie Kumpen, shared a six-word reaction to his son's performance on her Instagram story.

With McLaren having the fastest car in one-lap performance on average in the 2025 season, many had slated the papaya duo to be in the fight for the pole position. However, multiple red flags and a slippery track meant that taking the front seat for the Grand Prix wasn't an easy task.

McLaren's Oscar Piastri crashed early on in the session, and Lando Norris qualified a subpar seventh, showcasing the difficulty that drivers had to endure to battle for pole position.

But, despite this, Verstappen showcased his impressive car control and sheer pace to dethrone Carlos Sainz from the top of the timing pylon to take his first-ever pole position around the Baku City Circuit. Impressed with her son's performance, Sophie Kumpen took to Instagram and wrote on her story:

"EPIC he has done it again💪"

Sophie Kumpen's Instagram story congratulating Max Verstappen on clinching the pole position for the 2025 Azerbaijan GP | Source: Instagram/@sophiekumpen

On the other hand, six red flags were thrown out onto the track for various incidents during the whole qualifying session.

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Max Verstappen details his experience of a lengthy qualifying session in Azerbaijan

Janelle Zharmenova presenting the pole position award to Max Verstappen for the 2025 F1 Grand Prix of Azerbaijan - Source: Getty

With qualifying suffering multiple delays, the whole session took more than the usual time it takes for an F1 race to take place around the track in normal conditions. This meant that the drivers had to remain focused for the totality of the session to fight for the chance of starting on the front of the grid.

While Max Verstappen clinched the pole position, this reward took a long time in the making, considering qualifying sessions usually last just over an hour. So, when asked about his experience in qualifying around the street track in the post-qualifying interviews, he said on the F1TV broadcast:

"A long Qualifying to be honest with so many red flags. Hard to get your tyres in condition with so many stoppages. The last lap you just have to send it, I wasn't even on the best tyres are with the red flags, you run out of tyres."

"We definitely were in there for pole, but I'm just happy as since Monza we are doing a better job."

If Verstappen wins the Azerbaijan GP on Sunday, it will mark his second triumph around the fabled street circuit, making him the second driver to do so, after Sergio Perez.