Alex Brundle
British racing driver and broadcaster on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

That's a long long way away, a massive difference, I do wonder if Sainz has made some sort of mistake.

The purple sectors are being clocked next to Max Verstappen's name and the Dutchman sets the opening time in this pole sprint shootout with a...

Hang on. Verstappen won't keep that quickest maker. Track limits at Turn Five, Max.

The reigning world champion is told the news by his engineer. "Are you sure?" he asks.

The trio of early runners are now joined by the second Red Bull of Sergio Perez.

Max Verstappen, Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz are straight out of the pit gate.

Soft tyres only for SQ3, please.

Rosanna Tennant
5 Live F1 reporter

A little bit of attention is being given to Max Verstappen's Red Bull, the mechanics on their knees giving a little look around the car.

Liam Lawson apologised to Alpha Tauri over the team radio after being shown the door in SQ2, but it is the rookie's first taste of a sprint weekend in Formula 1.

Nulla Pax: Why can total rookie Lawson adjust to the track limits but Yuki can't?

Andrew Priestley: This is rivalling Austria for track limits lap deletions.

Sho: Stroll should voluntarily give up his seat for next year. Beyond poor at this point.

11. Pierre Gasly (Alpine)

12. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)

13. Valtteri Bottas (Alfa Romeo)

14. Liam Lawson (Alpha Tauri)

15. Zhou Guanyu (Alfa Romeo)

Alex Brundle
British racing driver and broadcaster on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

Not a session for Lewis Hamilton whatsoever losing that lap time to track limits.

Lewis Hamilton is collecting lap deletions at a rapid pace and the Mercedes man is in danger once again Carlos Sainz is the driver aiming to knock out the seven-time world champion, who is in 10th spot - and he does it! Hamilton qualifies for the sprint in 12th place.

Image source, Getty Images

Carlos Sainz did not make it through to Q3 on Friday and the Spaniard is on the cusp of another second session knockout, this one with an 'S' in front of the 'Q'. Off Sainz goes for another attempt.

11. Pierre Gasly

12. Liam Lawson

13. Carlos Sainz

14. Zhou Guanyu

15. Valtteri Bottas

Alex Brundle
British racing driver and broadcaster on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

Charles Leclerc caught out through Turn Five, they've been struggling with the wind over the rear wing of that Ferrari throughout the qualifying sessions so far, and Charles Leclerc falling victim to it again there, losing that lap time and there's only so many you can lose.

Can Lando Norris forget the troubles of yesterday's qualifying session and put his car on pole for today's sprint race? He's top of the board at the moment. The McLaren driver is 0.252 seconds quicker than the Red Bull of Max Verstappen.

The replay are showing Lewis Hamilton just, just, going over the white lines. Charles Leclerc is also hit with a wipe out, this time at Turn Five.

Lewis Hamilton puts his Mercedes into P2 behind the Red Bull of Sergio Perez but the seven-time world champion has his lap time deleted - at the revamped Turn 13 - for track limits.

Alex Brundle
British racing driver and broadcaster on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

A circuit like this is so tricky to learn because you have so few reference points around the layout, this is a circuit that looks very, very similar. It's desert, and it's desert everywhere, so it's hard to pick those reference points, especially for those long fast corners where you need to get the turn in absolutely right.

George Russell topped that opening session, with Max Verstappen and Lando Norris just behind the Mercedes.

SQ2 is medium tyres once again.