French Grand Prix qualifying: Hamilton takes POLE on Mercedes front row

As the F1 Grand Prix Circus returns to France for the first time in a decade, it’s Lewis Hamilton on pole after qualifying, alongside team mate Bottas.

It’s been a long time since Formula 1 was at Paul Ricard, and more than 60 years since Mercedes was last here in F1, but they’ve stamped their mark on the first French Grand Prix in a decade with a convincing pole position for Lewis Hamilton, and second spot for Bottas.

Q3 was a two part affair after Romain Grosjean wrecked his Haas part way through, but part two was a shootout between Hamiulton and Bottas, and it was the Brit’s victory, leaving Bottas in second for a Mercedes front row and Vettel in the Ferrari relegated to third.

Behind the top three it’s Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo for Red Bull, with Kimi Raikkonen taking sixth for a three team front three rows.

Behind the top three teams, Sainz took seventh for Renault, Leclerc did well to take eighth for Sauber, Magnussen’s Haas starts in ninth and Grosjean get tenth after bending his car.

It may be a Brit in pole, but it was a miserable qualifying for the British teams, with McLaren’s Alonso and Vandoorne going out in q1 and starting 16th and 18th respectively, and the Williams of Sirotkin and Stroll in 19th and 20th.

Paul Ricard may be unfamiliar to most of the drivers, but Mercedes look to have the best handle on the track for tomorrow’s race.