French Grand Prix qualifying – Hamilton POLE for Mercedes front row

Lewis Hamilton is in pole position at the 2019 French Grand Prix, with Bottas making it a Mercedes front row. Leclerc starts third in the Ferrari.

Lewis Hamilton won the Canadian Grand Prix two weeks ago, despite Ferrari Power making them favourites. Although without a penalty for Vettel it might have been a different story.

But now we’re in Europe for the summer, and Hamilton has stamped his authority on the driver’s title race once again with pole position for the 2019 French Grand Prix, beating team mate Bottas in to second on the grid and a Mercedes front row.

You might have expected Ferrari to be runners-up to Mercedes by locking out row two, but although Leclerc did well to put his car third on the grid, Vettel is back in a woeful seventh spot for tomorrow’s race.

Alongside Leclerc on row two it’s Max Verstappen in the Red Bull, but the surprise of qualifying has to be the McLaren’s of Norris and Sainz in fifth and sixth respectively, the best McLaren performance since goodness knows when.

Behind the McLaren’s is Vettel, followed by Ricciardo in the Renault, Gasly in the second Red Bull and Giovinazzi in the Alfa Romeo filling out the top 10 start positions for tomorrow’s race.

The Williams of Russell and Kubica start at the back.