BAKU, Azerbaijan (AP) — Max Verstappen took pole position and championship leader Oscar Piastri crashed out in qualifying for Formula 1’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix in a marathon session with constant crashes, rain and a record six red flags.

Red Bull’s Verstappen was fastest by .478 from Carlos Sainz, Jr. of Williams in a session that ran an hour past its scheduled time, longer than most races. Liam Lawson of Racing Bulls starts Sunday’s race a career-best third.

“You just have to send it,” Verstappen said of his final lap, trying to beat a time Sainz had set in much drier conditions.

Piastri slammed into the barrier while chasing pole position on a track left slippery by earlier rainfall. His McLaren teammate Lando Norris was only seventh after clipping the wall on his final lap and couldn

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