The Latest Breaking News from L Hamilton

Leclerc continued as the frontrunner through the early stages of the day’s second 60-minute session, after he had also led Friday afternoon’s FP1 action, when the cars were split across the medium and hard tyres.

After he had also led Friday afternoon's FP1 action, Leclerc continued as the frontrunner through the early stages of the day's second 60-minute session when the cars were split across the medium and hard tyres.

Leclerc set the session’s best time – a 1m16.990s – aboard the updated Ferrari shortly after the one-hour FP1 action was stopped by Alex Albon’s Williams shutting down after he hit a kerb hard and ran down the Imola track from Piratella to Acque Minerali, where he stopped on the…

Leclerc set the session’s best time – a 1m16.990s – aboard the updated Ferrari shortly after the one-hour FP1 action was stopped by Alex Albon’s Williams shutting down after he hit a kerb hard and ran down the Imola track from Piratella to Acque Minerali, where he stopped on the…

Verstappen posted a 1m27.241s to lead Leclerc by 0.141-seconds on the first runs in Q3, where they were trailed by Carlos Sainz in the other Ferrari.

Norris had led SQ1 and SQ2, with a time in the middle segment that would have been good enough to top SQ3, but on the switch to the soft tyres for the final segment he fell out of contention on the red-walled rubber – the Briton particularly paying for losing…

Norris had led SQ1 and SQ2, with a time in the middle segment that would have been good enough to top SQ3, but on the switch to the soft tyres for the final segment he fell out of contention on the red-walled rubber – the Briton particularly paying for losing…

Verstappen beat McLaren’s Lando Norris and Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez in a race that was twice interrupted by the safety car.

The championship leader had rarely looked beatable throughout the session and ploughed a lonely furrow in pursuit of pole position, particularly as nobody had been able to beat his opening 1m33.977s effort - let alone his ultimate pole lap.

Verstappen will start ahead of team-mate Sergio Perez and Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) after the one-hour qualifying session, which is split into three segments with five cars each being knocked out in Q1 and Q2 before the top-10 shootout of Q3.

Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton grabbed the lead at the start, when pole-winner Lando Norris (McLaren) was slow away from the startline. After battling with Hamilton through Turn 1, Norris slid wide and off the track, tumbling a further five places.