SSQ1
Max Verstappen set the first time of the shootout qualifying on a 1:11.888. Sergio Perez logged a 1:12.218 to be just over 0.3s away.
However, Sainz on a 1:11.796 and Hamilton with a 1:11.870 beat the Dutchman on their first attempts. Russell slotted into P4 as 0.180s covered them.
Haas showed really encouraging pace as Magnussen and Hülkenberg put themselves in P5 and P8 respectively with 5 minutes to go.
Stroll, Zhou, Albon, Tsunoda and Sargeant found themselves in the relegation zone in the closing stages.
On his second flier, Oscar Piastri failed to improve and stayed in P14.
The AlphaTauri of Yuki Tsunoda managed to improve on his second attempt and crept in as he went P15.
It proved to be absolutely vital for the Japanese driver as a red flag was thrown seconds later.
As Fernando Alonso pulled off the racing line out of turn 2 to let Ocon through, the French driver had an oversteer moment coming out of the corner and clouted into the left front tyre of the Spaniard. Ocon ended up in the wall and his car was badly damaged at the rear, with Alonso picking up a puncture and damage to the suspension.
SSQ2
With Alonso not participating, only 14 cars starting the second session.
Fixes to the tyre barrier saw the second session delayed by a solid amount but things got going again at :40 minutes past the hour.
Once again with Max Verstappen who kicked things off in the middle segment as the Dutchman logged a 1:11.449 to go fastest. Sainz, Perez, Leclerc and Piastri completed the top 5 — 0.067s covered P2 to P5.
Hülkenberg, Norris, Magnussen, Hamilton and Russell completed the top 10 as everyone in the relegation zone — bar Alonso — didn’t run until the last couple of minutes.
The current World Champion went even faster as a 1:11.262 put him 0.319s clear of Carlos Sainz.
However, Sergio Perez banged in a a 1:11.230 to pop ahead of his teammate, but it was Lando Norris who ended the session fastest by a mere 0.009s.
A single run paid off for AlphaTauri as Daniel Ricciardo in 4th and Yuki Tsunoda in P10 both got through to SSQ3.
The two Ferraris, Mercedes’ and Oscar Piastri also made it safely through to the final segment.
Magnussen, Hülkenberg, Gasly and Bottas joined Alonso in getting eliminated. The Finn in P14 was only 0.196s slower than Tsunoda in a very tight session.
SSQ3
The teams waited until 3:30 to go to head out on the track as they only completed a single lap. Piastri, Perez and Sainz had no new softs available for their timed attempts. Charles Leclerc on ran on old tyres for his run.
A 1:11.189 from Oscar Piastri was the first time posted, but the lap for P1 came from Lando Norris seconds later as a 1:10.622 puts him on pole for the sprint. Max Verstappen missed out by 0.061s as Sergio Perez did a cracking lap to put himself 3rd.
Photo credit: McLaren Racing
It was George Russell who beat Lewis Hamilton to 4th by 0.083s. Yuki Tsunoda pulled out a great lap to beat Leclerc and Ricciardo to 6th.
Sainz and Piastri will start P9 and P10 after their runs on a scrubbed set.
