Oscar Piastri took the pole position at the Dutch Grand Prix on Saturday
Piastri beat McLaren team-mate Lando Norris to pole
Norris had been quickest in all three practice sessions but Piastri took pole
Oscar Piastri believes he peaked "at the right time" after beating McLaren team-mate Lando Norris to pole position at the Dutch Grand Prix.
Norris had been quickest in all three practice sessions at Zandvoort, but Piastri saved his best form for Saturday's qualifying, beating the Brit by 0.012seconds.
Both drivers, who are locked tight in the title battle, set their fastest times on the first lap of the final qualifying session, and though Norris was faster than Piastri on their final runs, neither could improve on their initial attempt.
"That was the definition of peaking at the right time," Piastri said. "The whole weekend I felt good, there had just been a couple of corners I had not been able to go any faster.
"I didn't really go faster in those corners but found some more elsewhere. Super happy to come away with this result.
"It was looking like a tricky weekend, so to come out with that, I'm pretty stoked. You just keep chipping away. That's the nice thing about having so much practice.
"I just improved in parts where I was already not bad and made up the difference that way. Still some things to improve on, but overall, very happy."
Piastri is just nine points ahead of Norris after the summer break, with McLaren also sitting comfortably at the top of the Constructors' Championship.
The last four races at Zandvoort have been won by poleman, a good omen for the Australian, who will be looking for some breathing space in the title race, though he was coy about his chances on Sunday.
"We are both trying to beat each other every weekend," Piastri added.
"There's a few variables in there that you can mix up, so let's see what happens."
Max Verstappen gave the home crowd something to cheer about by taking third, though he was a quarter of a second off the McLarens, while Isack Hadjar of Racing Bulls mounted a surprise by claiming fourth.
Hadjar delivered a storming final lap, as he put in one of his best performances of the season, to finish above fifth-place George Russell, who beat both Ferraris in Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton.
Liam Lawson capped an impressive Saturday for Racing Bulls as he took eighth ahead of Carlos Sainz and Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso.
And the Spaniard's result was much-needed, as Lance Stroll crashed – for the second day in a row – in the early minutes of the first session to qualify 20th.
Qualifying Top 10
1. Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
2. Lando Norris (McLaren)
3. Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
4. Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls)
5. George Russell (Mercedes)
6. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
7. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari)
8. Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls)
9. Carlos Sainz (Williams)
10. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin)
