Charles Leclerc has qualified on pole for tomorrows French Grand Prix following qualifying this morning. Starting in second will be Max Verstappen, who was pipped by the Ferrari by .3 of a second. Sergio Perez will start third next to Lewis Hamilton, with the Mercedes of George Russell rounding out the top five.
Leclerc will need a strong showing for the event as he will be without the support of teammate Carlos Sainz, who is relegated to the rear of the field following a range of engine upgrades after his spectacular engine fire in Austria.
Sainz, however, did support Leclerc in Q3, taking to the track to give the Monegasque driver a tow during his pole setting lap.
Q1 saw Haas driver Mick Schumacher qualify a disappointing 19th after his 11th fastest time was deleted for exceeding track limits at Turn 3. Also eliminated were Pierre Gasly, Lance Stroll, Zhou Guanyu and Nicholas Latifi.
The track ramped up significantly for Q2, which saw the fastest time set being an impressive 1.31.081 by Carlos Sainz. The drivers eliminated were Alex Albon, Sebastian Vettel, Valtteri Bottas, Esteban Ocon and Daniel Ricciardo, who once again failed to reach Q3 in his McLaren.
Kevin Magnussen failed to set a time in Q3, as did Sainz, due to engine changes undertaken in the Haas already confining him to the rear of the grid alongside the Ferrari.