Although a dry line had emerged by the start of Q2, offering drivers to take a chance on running with soft tyres, the conditions had worsened by the start of the final part of qualifying and the rain picked up in intensity.
Armed with intermediate rubber, Verstappen collected a 1m27.059s with his first lap of the session, as Fernando Alonso got to within 0.25s of the championship leader's opener in their respective opening gambits.
