Lewis Hamilton beat Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas to pole position for the French Grand Prix, setting a new track record at Paul Ricard.
Bottas led Hamilton in Q1 and Q2 but in the final shootout Hamilton turned the tables, clocking provisional pole position through the first Q3 runs by 0.157s.
Bottas’ final Q3 effort was scruffy, with a wide moment through the penultimate corner, meaning that Hamilton was guaranteed pole position even before he completed his last lap, which was even faster.
Hamilton’s new track record of 1:28.319 left him 0.286s clear of his team-mate as he collected top spot at the venue for a second straight year, picking up the 86th pole position of his career.
Mercedes’ advantage was such that third-placed Charles Leclerc was over six-tenths down on Hamilton, but it was not an all-Ferrari second-row as Sebastian Vettel had a subdued session.
Vettel abandoned his first Q3 lap after a mistake through the first complex and Sainte Baume, while he also complained of an upshift.
His second Q3 effort was quick enough for only seventh, leaving him behind Max Verstappen and both McLaren drivers.
Red Bull was never in the hunt for overall top spot and Verstappen, over a second down on Hamilton, held off Lando Norris by just 0.009s at the end of Q3.
Norris’ pace was backed up by that of team-mate Carlos Sainz Jr., meaning McLaren will lock out the third row of the grid, having preserved the impressive pace it displayed during practice.
Renault’s Daniel Ricciardo was eighth, while Pierre Gasly was again subdued, taking ninth for Red Bull, as ex-GP2 team-mate Antonio Giovinazzi capped the top 10 for Alfa Romeo, making his second Q3 appearance of the year.
Alexander Albon fell just 0.040s shy of demoting Gasly out of Q3 and will line up from 11th, ahead of Kimi Raikkonen and Nico Hulkenberg.
Hulkenberg had a moment of opposite lock as he attempted to enter Chicane Nord and had to abort his lap, meaning he was unable to make it through the session.
Sergio Perez was 14th for Racing Point while Kevin Magnussen finished as comfortably the slowest driver in Q2, as Haas struggled for pace.
Daniil Kvyat, who will start at the back of the grid, was 16th in Q1, while Romain Grosjean had a disjointed session for Haas.
Grosjean was impeded by Raikkonen running off through La Beausset early in the session and on his last effort went wide through the Chicane Nord.
Lance Stroll’s run of Q1 exits was extended to 12 in a row as he trailed Perez by seven-tenths in Q1, while Williams again finished at the back.
George Russell was 19th, with Robert Kubica last, but the Briton will drop behind his team-mate on account of taking on fresh engine components after an issue in FP3.
Sunday’s 53-lap Grand Prix is scheduled for 15:10 local time
