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Russian GP qualifying facts and stats: Verstappen ends a Mercedes run at Sochi

SOCHI, RUSSIA - SEPTEMBER 26: Max Verstappen of the Netherlands driving the (33) Aston Martin RedSOCHI, RUSSIA - SEPTEMBER 26: Max Verstappen of the Netherlands driving the (33) Aston Martin Red Bull Racing RB16 on track during qualifying ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Russia at Sochi Autodrom on September 26, 2020 in Sochi, Russia. (Photo by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images)

A nail-biting qualifying session saw Lewis Hamilton take another pole position for the Russian Grand Prix, but there are plenty of interesting nuggets of trivia from Saturday's session in Sochi. Here are the key facts and stats...

  • Pole position at the Russian Grand Prix went to Lewis Hamilton, his fifth consecutive pole, fifth at Sochi and 96th of his career.

READ MORE: Hamilton survives Q2 scare to beat Verstappen to Russia pole, as Vettel crashes heavily

  • Max Verstappen ended a run of seven Mercedes front-row lockouts at Sochi by taking P2. The Dutchman has never started in the top-six on this track, either.

  • Bottas wasn't so disappointed with third place, and perhaps with good reason. He took his first career win from third on the grid, here, in 2017.

  • Racing Point driver Sergio Perez continued a dubious trend, qualifying fourth on the grid for the ninth time in his career – he's still waiting for a top three qualification in F1.

  • Daniel Ricciardo qualified fifth on the grid in Russia for the third time. At Sochi, he's never made it higher on the grid than that. He outqualified his Renault team mate Esteban Ocon for the eighth race in a row.

READ MORE: Verstappen anticipating ‘interesting’ first lap in Sochi after taking 'very unexpected' P2 in qualifying

  • For the fifth consecutive race, Carlos Sainz outqualified his McLaren team mate Lando Norris. The Spaniard was sixth, Norris eighth.

  • Is Pierre Gasly starting something of a pattern at AlphaTauri? His last three qualifying performances have been Q3, Q1, then Q3 here. The Italian Grand Prix winner starts ninth on Sunday.

SOCHI, RUSSIA - SEPTEMBER 26: Carlos Sainz of Spain driving the (55) McLaren F1 Team MCL35 RenaultSainz has managed to outqualify Norris five times in a row

  • Racing Point's Lance Stroll (P13) retired in Q2 and failed to make Q3 for the first time in eight races, ending a Q3 run stretching back to the Styrian Grand Prix.

  • Daniil Kvyat has made it five consecutive Q2 eliminations at AlphaTauri, as the home driver starts 12th.

  • Ten races down, and Antonio Giovinazzi has not escaped the clutches of Q1 this season. He was 17th in qualifying, his team mate Kimi Raikkonen 20th for Alfa Romeo.

  • Kevin Magnussen has only made it out of Q1 twice all season. In Russia, he starts 18th.

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