Horner left stunned by Verstappen pole lap for F1 Saudi Arabian GP

Max Verstappen provided the perfect response to claims that Red Bull is imploding – with a scintillating pole position at the 2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

Red Bull boss Christian Horner delivered his verdict of the Dutchman’s sensational lap, when he was asked if it was the best reply to his team’s critics, Horner said: "Honestly, I did not believe that was possible going into that session.

“It just shows, you never give up. We’ve got a great team, you keep fighting. You keep chasing the performance and then Max, he’ll go and deliver you that last ounce of performance.”

Explaining how his team gambled on doing two timed laps following Lando Norris’ crash in Q3, Horner added: "Coming into that qualy off the back of P3, it was all about who was going to be third. And suddenly, Q1, Max went quickest, and you think, ‘hang on, are McLaren sandbagging here?’

"And then Q2, we were right there again. And then the unfortunate accident for Lando in Q3, there were only four cars with two new sets [of soft tyres], which were the two McLarens, George Russell and Max.

“Thankfully, Lando was ok, but it left it right on the cusp of doing two times, for which there was 25 seconds of margin, or do you just hang in there and do one?

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, Christian Horner, Red Bull Racing

Photo by: Red Bull Content Pool

"We elected to do the two times, which puts you under pressure because if there’s any issue at all, you’ve lost that margin. What was super impressive for me was that, because you [don’t] take the pit stop, you’ve got to carry the fuel.

“So, he had six or seven kilograms more fuel on that first lap, which he went quickest on, that put the pressure on the other guys.

"And then again, his last lap was outstanding. To get that pole, our second in the last three races, is really rewarding. A phenomenal performance by Max and the team, and good to have Yuki Tsunoda up there in Q3 as well."

However, Horner knows that Oscar Piastri’s race pace in the McLaren, with the Aussie starting in second place on the grid, will make it tricky for Verstappen to defend.

Horner added: “If you can convert the pole, you’ve got that benefit of running in the clean air and not being in the turbulence following a car.

"But what we’ve seen this weekend, the McLaren is very, very quick, particularly in race trim.

"So, I think we’re going to have a hell of a fight on our hands to try to keep Oscar behind us. But we’re starting in the best possible position, so great to be going into it on pole.”