McLaren Racing – 2023 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix – qualifying

McLaren Racing drivers Lando Norris and Daniel Ricciardo secured a remarkable 1-2 finish in the qualifying session for the 2023 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, held on the Yas Marina Circuit in Riyadh.

Norris led the way for the British outfit, producing a sensational lap time of 1m 33.873s to claim pole position with a 0.2s advantage over Ricciardo, who will start alongside him in Sunday’s race.

The result marks the first time in the team’s history that McLaren Racing have locked out the front row of the grid and the first time since the 2016 Austrian Grand Prix that two drivers from the same team have achieved the feat.

The session began in hot and humid conditions, with Norris and Ricciardo setting early pace. Norris quickly found an extra gear and produced a stunning lap to take pole position, while Ricciardo was also impressive, securing second place with a time of 1m 34.072s.

The rest of the field were unable to match the McLarens, with Mercedes driver Max Verstappen and Red Bull’s Alex Albon trailing in third and fourth, respectively.

The performance of Norris and Ricciardo was praised by the team, who said they were delighted to have achieved the “proud moment” of a 1-2 finish on the grid.

“We knew that we had the pace to be competitive this weekend, but to have Lando and Daniel on the front row is a fantastic result for the team,” said Team Principal Andreas Seidl.

“It’s a great reward for all the hard work put in by everyone at the factory and trackside and shows the progress we have made this season. We are now focused on delivering a strong performance in the race on Sunday.”

The 2023 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix is scheduled to start on Sunday at 3pm local time.