Andrew Benson
BBC Sport’s chief F1 writer

Image source, Getty Images

Red Bull's Sergio Perez took pole position for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix after team-mate Max Verstappen suffered a power problem.

Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso will line up second on the grid because Ferrari's Charles Leclerc, who qualified second, has a 10-place grid penalty for engine usage.

Verstappen's driveshaft failed in the second session and he will start 15th.

Mercedes' George Russell will start third, ahead of Ferrari's Carlos Sainz.

Read the full qualifying report here

Image source, Getty Images

Sergio Perez collects a Pirelli pole position award in Jeddah for the second consecutive year, however, the Mexican driver didn't take the chequered flag in 2022 and ended the 50-lap race in fourth place.

Can he secure the top step of the podium this season and fight off the challenge of Fernando Alonso and George Russell?

Don't count out his two-time world champion team-mate Max Verstappen from P15 though.

We'll back up and running again from 15:30 GMT on Sunday, with live radio commentary available across BBC 5 Sports Extra, the BBC Sounds app and at the top of the text page from 16:45 GMT.

Have a great Saturday night. See you tomorrow!

All the information you need on how the various compounds performed across Saturday's third practice and qualifying sessions.

On if there are concerns for tomorrow after the team changed gear box parts in both cars, Red Bull team principal Christian Horner said: "It wasn't a concern going into the race it was just part of our strategy of introducing parts into the pool, but something has obviously happened there and we need to get to the bottom of it and understand it and try and ensure that it doesn't happen tomorrow."

If Max can win from 15th tomorrow, Horner added: "It's a tough race here it's about staying out of trouble, there's going to be plenty of action, plenty of carnage and it should provide an exciting race hopefully, it's a great opportunity for Checo and it's important to convert that. So we are going to have two different races going on in the Grand Prix tomorrow."

Charles Leclerc, understandably, hasn't got the biggest smile on his face tonight. Photoshop the Ferrari man out and add in the grin of Mercedes' George Russell instead.

Image source, Getty Images

"They were some nice laps. I really enjoyed that," said George Russell, who has now out-qualified Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton in the opening two races.

Charles Leclerc has to pick up his stuff and move from second to 12th:

11. Zhou Guanyu (Alfa Romeo)

12. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)

13. Kevin Magnussen (Haas)

14. Valtteri Bottas (Alfa Romeo)

15. Max Verstappen (Red Bull)

16. Yuki Tsunoda (Alpha Tauri)

17. Alex Albon (Williams)

18. Nyck de Vries (Alpha Tauri)

19. Lando Norris (McLaren)

20. Logan Sargeant (Williams)

Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso, who qualified in third but will move up to second: “Yeah for sure as you know it’s been a very good weekend for us, qualifying has been a weakness or a weak point in Bahrain, but today the car seemed to perform very well on one lap, so let’s see what tomorrow we can do from here.

"Obviously Charles has a penalty so we will be starting on the first row of the grid so this is just amazing.”

Ferrari's Charles Leclerc, who qualified in second but will start in 12th due to a 10-place grid penalty: "Happy, yes and no. On one hand I think we've had a very difficult weekend in terms of pace for us.

"But I'm very happy with my lap. I think I put everything in it, it was really, really on the limit. On the other hand, Red Bull are on another planet and we are struggling a little bit.

"We need to keep pushing but that's what we are doing as a team. Tomorrow is not going to be easy. I have a 10-place grid penalty. We'll be starting a little bit further back but we will focus on the race and hopefully come back at the front as quickly as possible."

Red Bull's Sergio Perez, who claimed pole in Jeddah for the second year in a row: "It was tricky, it was tricky that Q3, especially not getting that second lap, Q1 was quite good and clean, nailing that lap you really feel the Formula 1 cars coming alive in this place, maximising that lap was really important.”

On his team-mate Max Verstappen not making it to Q3 due to reliability issues: “Yeah I mean it’s a shame because Max has been really strong the whole weekend, so hopefully tomorrow we can have both cars up there as you never know with these cars and reliability issues can hit you at any time.”

Top three time. Charles Leclerc still gets to give us his thoughts on his qualifying performance.

This is what the top 10 looks like with Charles Leclerc's grid penalty applied:

1. Sergio Perez (Red Bull)

2. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin)

3. George Russell (Mercedes)

4. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari)

5. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin)

6. Esteban Ocon (Alpine)

7. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)

8. Oscar Piastri (McLaren)

9. Pierre Gasly (Alpine)

10. Nico Hulkenberg (Haas)

So we'll see both Charles Leclerc in 12th and Max Verstappen in 15th trying to carve their way through the field at tomorrow's grand prix in Jeddah.

Two career pole positions for Sergio Perez now and both of them have been claimed at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

Alice Powell
British racing driver on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

That's going to be tasty run into turn one, Perez, Alonso and Russell. I'm looking forward to it.

Fernando Alonso qualifies in third position and will move up to second for tomorrow's race, while George Russell is promoted to third in the Mercedes.

Jack Nicholls
BBC Radio 5 Live F1 commentator

It's Perez on pole position as he was 12 months ago.

Who is getting pole position?

Charles Leclerc has a grid drop and needs the best position he can muster to avoid another dismal race. The Ferrari man secured second spot and will start 12th on the grid.

Only Sergio Perez to go. Will he do it?

The next green car is hurtling towards the line as the chequered flag is waved. Lance Stroll has nabbed a pole position before but the Canadian can't cause a stir today and he stays in fifth place for the moment.