The Ferrari driver snatched pole away from Max Verstappen in treacherous conditions at a sodden Silverstone with a stunning lap to top qualifying💛 for the first time in his F1 career. 

Verstappen had looked the favourite for pole after setting the pace in the opening two sessions of qualifying before Sainz pipped💫 him by just 0.072s at the end of Q3.

• Sainz pips Verstappen to maiden pole in wet qualifying
• F1 2022 𒁏British Grand Prix - Full Qualifying results
• ꦛF1 British Grand Prix 2022 at♕ Silverstone: What time is it? How can I watch?

Sainz sounded shocked🐓 when he was informꦏed of his pole, saying over team radio: “No way! Holy s***! I didn't expect that one. I felt terrible out there! How did I do P1?”

His race engineer responded: 🐲“You kept it together, like a smooth operator.”

Spea🙈king after qualifying, Sainz said his Q3 laps did not feel “amazing” and described his maiden pole as an “emotional” moment for him. 

“Honestly I had no idea where I was going to qualify because the conditions were so changeable that I didn’t even know what was the lap time to beat in Q3,” Sainz explain🧔ed. 

“I didn’t know what lap time I had to do on th♊at lap to go pole. It didn’t feel amazing because I did a small mistake in Turn 3 which threw me out of line into Turn 4. Then I remember going through the high speed and thinking ‘maybe I should’ve pushed a bit more’. 

“Then running out of battery into 15 and 16, I said ‘I have the lap on the board, through the corner🎃s it’s not bad but missing the battery and everything in the last stra🌺ights, I was convinced that it was not going to be enough. 

“But then it turned out to be enough and I was pretty happy to he🧜ar that. That’s what I meant with the lap wasn’t perfect, because of these couple of things. 

“In the end, in these conditions a lot of the times it’s about putting it together, putting a decent lap on the board, not the most optimal, perfect lap of yo𝔍ur life.”

And Sainz said he is look🃏ing forward to head the F1 grid for the first time in his career on Sunday. 

“[I feel] good, the formation lap will feel great in the Ferrari,” he added. “It’s the first time I will do it [in F1]. I think I haven’t forgot since I led a formation lap ♛in World Series by Renault. 

“I think💛 I’ve led a couple of races in F1, I think it was Portimao and it felt great. That’s the target, to do it again.”&nb🐠sp;

Leclerc ‘disappointed’ with third 

Sainz’s Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc ended up third and three-tenths🅠 down after a c𝓰ostly spin on his final lap of Q3. 

"I am disappointed but happy for Ca🌱rlos,” he said. “I knew the last lap was when I had to put everythi🍨ng together - but I didn’t. So I don’t deserve pole.

“P3 is still a good position and hopꦫefully, if I put everything together, I can come back. The pace is there. If we have a clean race, it should go well.

“Tyre management? The strat♛egy is mixed between one and two stops. Hopefully wౠe make the right choice.”