Summary

  • Verstappen on pole, Perez 2nd, Alonso 3rd, Hamilton 18th

  • Hamilton out in first session

  • Sainz through to shootout despite crash during second session

  • Verstappen wins sprint race ahead of Hamilton

  • Hamilton led after overtaking polesitter Norris off line

  • Get involved #bbcf1

Live Reporting

Gary Rose

  1. Gutting for Zhou Guanyu as improvements elsewhere also see him drop into elimination zone. He is out too.

  2. A lock up from Lewis Hamilton and he can only go 12th quickest. He then starts dropping as others improve and he's into the elimination zone! He's going to be going out in the first part of qualifying!

  3. Sam Bird
    Formula E driver on BBC Radio 5 Live

    The grip available to them is so low as we see Perez also running deep and wide into Turn 14. The drivers aren't having it their way due to the lack of grip they've got out there.

  4. Big final couple of minutes for Zhou Guanyu. He will want to put on a show at his first home race, he's in the elimination zone but a big improvement sees him up into eighth. That draws applause from the crowd, will it be enough?

  5. Everyone is back out now for their final laps apart from Carlos Sainz and Oscar Piastri.

  6. Lando Norris does a 1:34.842 to nudge Carlos Sainz down to second.

  7. Sam Bird
    Formula E driver on BBC Radio 5 Live

    The car looks really nicely balanced over the bumpy section in Turn Eight especially, Sainz' Ferrari looks hooked up.

  8. The track falls largely silent as almost everyone is back in the pits, either satisfied they've done enough or preparing for a second run.

    At the moment, the drivers in danger are Daniel Ricciardo, Lando Norris, Lewis Hamilton and Kevin Magnussen, with no time yet for Sergio Perez.

  9. Into the final five minutes and Carlos Sainz is the pacesetter now with a 1:34.970.

    No time yet from Sergio Perez, who is on his out lap now.

  10. Strong lap by Oscar Piastri as he leaps into first place with 1:35.014.

    The track is getting quicker.

  11. Sam Bird
    Formula E driver on BBC Radio 5 Live

    Valtteri Bottas up into P3, he's definitely on form this weekend.

  12. Valtteri Bottas is up into P3, 0.4s off Fernando Alonso's time. Both then head into the pits with eight minutes of the first part of qualifying remaining.

  13. Max Verstappen crosses the line but goes second quickest, just 0.055s off Fernando Alonso's time.

  14. Get Involved

    #bbcf1

    Jeremiah Kariuki: It would be a miracle for Lewis to repeat what he did with the Sprints leave alone getting a Pole. But that's what he at times does, doing something extraordinary.

  15. Charles Leclerc was briefly fastest but it is now Fernando Alonso with a 1:35.116.

  16. Lando Norris is within 100th of a second of George Russell's time as he slots into second place.

    Max Verstappen is out on the track now and starting his first flying lap. He has secured pole position in every race so far this season.

  17. Sam Bird
    Formula E driver on BBC Radio 5 Live

    Surprised by George Russell, I thought the Mercedes might of been a little bit more competitive than that, I don't think we are near the times we need yet to get through.

  18. And here they come. George Russell goes top of the order with 1:36.436.

    Carlos Sainz, on mediums, is fourth quickest, half a second off Russell's time.

  19. Pretty much everyone is out on the track apart from the Red Bulls, Daniel Ricciardo and Lewis Hamilton.

    Zhou Guanyu was on a flying lap but ultimately aborted it, so we are still waiting for a first time.

  20. Everyone is out on softs apart from Carlos Sainz, who is on used mediums.