Under cloudy skies and in stronger winds compared to Friday’s earlier practice session, the drivers found themselves incurring multiple track limits penalties – particularly in Q2.
Verstappen led the way in all three segments and after the first runs in Q3, where Leclerc trailed by 0.206s behind the world champion for Ferrari.
On the second and final Q3 goes, Verstappen led the pack around and shot to purple sectors in the first and third sectors, which improved the quickest time to a 1m04.391s.
Behind, Leclerc improved to edge out team-mate Carlos Sainz, setting the fastest time in the middle sector as he pushed Verstappen hard for pole.
Leclerc threw caution to the wind in the final turns on his last Q3 lap, going very close to the track limits through the double right hander and as he did so his left rear stepped out a touch and as he shot to the line he found himself beaten and Verstappen’s GP pole secured by less than half a tenth.
Lando Norris trailed Sainz in the only updated McLaren, with Lewis Hamilton fifth in the lead Mercedes.
Then came Lance Stroll, who headed team-mate Fernando Alonso in qualifying for only the second time this season – despite having to recover from losing his opening Q3 run to a track limits violation at the final corner.
Nico Hulkenberg took eighth for Haas ahead of Pierre Gasly and Alex Albon, who lost his best time in Q3 – and off-set second lap run before the other nine drivers put their final laps in – but in any case it would not have been enough to get him any higher on the grid.
In Q2, the track limits issue really began to heat up as both Red Bull drivers lost their opening times for running too wide out of the final corner.
Source: Autosport