Follow all the action live from the Azerbaijan Grand Prix as Charles Leclerc starts on pole at the Baku City Circuit with Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen in close pursuit.
Verstappen’s victory at the Monaco Grand Prix saw the Dutchman take a four-point lead in the drivers’ standings and Red Bull looked set to increase that gap as Mercedes struggled for pace in practice. However, a “monumental” lap in qualifying saw Hamilton steal a place on the front row, despite the ongoing difficulties with his car’s tyres. “We have made so many changes over these two days,” he said. “It has been so difficult but the work overnight and between practice and qualifying was amazing. But this result puts us in a much better position for the race than we anticipated yesterday. We can take the fight to these guys tomorrow.”
A bitterly disappointed Verstappen, whose final qualifying lap was cut short after rookie Yuki Tsunoda crashed out at the third corner, will start on third, while Pierre Gasly starts in fourth. Leclerc’s Ferrari teammate, Carlos Sainz, who also crashed at turn three, is in fifth. Follow all the action live below: