Why was Max Verstappen ahead of Charles Leclerc in Q3 despite setting the same time as the Ferrari driver?

Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc took center stage in Friday's Qualifying session in Azerbaijan. The two drivers were trading the fastest laps in a bid to start Sunday's race on pole. As their battle raged on, a rare incident baffled everyone as both drivers set the exact same time on the board.

In the first runs of the Q3 session, both Verstappen and Leclerc set a time of 1m 40.445s each. While Leclerc was quicker in the first sector, he gradually lost his advantage as he reached the checkered flag, equalling the Dutchman's time.

Despite setting the same time, the Red Bull driver was ahead of Leclerc because he had set the time first. According to the rules defined by the FIA, in the event of drivers setting equal time in qualifying, the driver who sets the time first is given precedence. This rule is upheld even if multiple drivers post the same time on the board.

While Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc posted equal times, there were two other drivers who managed to do the same. Lance Stroll and Oscar Piastri were also tied for 1m 41.611s at the end of the Q3 session. Stroll took the ninth position as he had set the time earlier.

The most famous incident where F1 defaulted to the rule was back in Jerez 1997. Battling for the pole in an electrifying session, Jacques Villeneuve, Michael Schumacher, and Heinz Herald Frentzen set the same lap time. The pole position was awarded on the order in which the three drivers set the time. Villeneuve grabbed the pole, with Schumacher and Frenzten following behind.

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"We'll have to pass one car" - Max Verstappen keen on finishing the business on Sunday

F1 Grand Prix of Azerbaijan - Practice & Qualifying

While Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc were tied in the first attempt in Q3, in the final runs it was the Ferrari driver who stunned Verstappen to take pole position. Doing so, Leclerc took his third consecutive pole position on the streets of Baku.

Speaking in the Parc Ferme interview, Max Verstappen said he is already looking forward to Sunday's race:

"It's always tough around here to put the whole lap together. I think also in the second run, we tried something different on the out-lap which maybe was not ideal for the lap time at the end. Around here, it's really hard."

"Q3, you're on the limit and then trying to make everything perfect. Nevertheless, we are P2. We know that we have a good race car. We'll have to pass one car."

Max Verstappen will get a chance at redemption tomorrow as F1 gears up for the first-ever Sprint shootout.