McLaren driver in awe of "bulletproof" Verstappen: 'That took some doing'

Formula E driver Sam Bird shared his amazement at the pole position Max Verstappen took at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, calling the Dutchman "bulletproof".

Verstappen shocked most of the paddock once again by putting together a stunning lap that saw him pip Oscar Piastri and McLaren by +0.010 for his second pole of the season.

It highlights the supreme talent of Verstappen once again, putting the challenging RB21 P1, just like he did at the Japanese Grand Prix, with the sublime lap, this time around the Jeddah Corniche Circuit.

Bird amazed at 'flawless' Verstappen

Bird, currently in his second season with McLaren in Formula E, is well acquainted with the papaya-coloured team and their inner workings, including in Formula 1, where Lando Norris and Piastri currently have the fastest car on the grid.

During qualifying, things didn't go as planned, especially for championship-leader Norris, who crashed out in Q3, meaning he only starts in tenth.

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Piastri pushed all the way, but just could not overhaul Verstappen and will start from P2. The Dutchman managed to squeeze the McLaren driver out of the pole position at the very last moment, with Bird realising how tough this title battle will actually be in 2025.

"Max Verstappen is not going to give this world championship to McLaren without a fight," the 38-year-old said while working on the radio for the BBC. "He's always there, and he doesn't make mistakes. He's bulletproof in that Red Bull.

Bird continued by sharing what ultimately made the difference between Verstappen and Piastri: "To be that far ahead in sector one takes some doing by Max Verstappen. McLaren will be disappointed with this evening's work," concluded the Brit.

This article was written in collaboration with Ludo van Denderen