Gary Rose
All times stated are UK
Post update
Right, time for us to wrap things up for today but we will be back for build up to tomorrow's Chinese Grand Prix, which gets under way at the somewhat more palatable time of 08:00 BST.
Join us once again for all the action. See you later.
Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images
How qualifying unfolded
Andrew Benson
BBC F1 correspondent
Max Verstappen was in imperious form as he took pole position for the Chinese Grand Prix, leading Sergio Perez to a Red Bull one-two.
Fresh from winning the first sprint race of the season earlier, Verstappen was 0.322 seconds clear of Perez.
The Mexican pipped Fernando Alonso's Aston Martin by 0.166secs with McLaren's Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri next.
Lewis Hamilton had a dire day, qualifying 18th.
His Mercedes team-mate George Russell was eighth behind Ferrari's Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz.
Your F1 questions answered
Our chief F1 writer Andrew Benson is doing a Q&A after every race this season.
Go here to send in your questions and we'll put the best to Andrew.
Post update
Here's Sebastian Vettel celebrating Red Bull's first-ever pole position in China back in 2009...
Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images
... and here's Max Verstappen securing Red Bull's 100th at the same circuit.
And also evergreen Fernando Alonso in the top three for both - 15 years apart.
Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images
'Extremely happy and proud of the team, we are not giving up' - Alonso
Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso will start the Chinese GrandPrix in third, he said: “We didn't give up, we kept pushing all the way through the lap and I set a good lap time, I think the car did improve since this morning. We made a few set-up changes, let's see tomorrow if we can translate that into points."
On the new Parc Ferme opening, he added: "I think it's the same for everybody you can't change the car completely because you are in the rhythm of the weekend but you can still make some small set-up changes, some of them are just for balance but some are just guesses that you go into tomorrow fresh and you just flip the coin. Until tomorrow, we will not know the answer but extremely happy and proud of the team, we are not giving up."
Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images
'Everything to play for tomorrow'
Sergio Perez, who finished second in qualifying: "It was very intense. I nearly got knocked out in Q1 because of traffic. I just made it through. Q2 I could get some rhythm into the balance, unfortunately in the end it was just not enough to get Max but overall a tremendous result.
"Everything to play for tomorrow. We can definitely have a strong rhythm. We showed today we have a good pace in the long run so I look forward to tomorrow."
'Very happy with how qualifying went' - Verstappen
Max Verstappen, who earned his 37th career pole, said: “I think after the sprint race it gave usa few more ideas about the car and I think the car worked even better in qualifyingnow, so definitely very happy with how qualifying went, the car was really niceto drive. That final lap in Q3 felt really decent and also very happy to drivehere as well in the dry, the conditions were pretty good and it was a lot offun.”
On the track evolution, he added: “I think also coming outof the race when you go back to low fuel you have to get comfortable again and of course new tyres are getting put on every single time, so you can find a little bit more in every corner. Besides my first run in Q3, every time we were going a bit faster, I think the track evolution wasn't that massive around here but that's fine."
Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images
A landmark pole position
This was Red Bull's 100th pole position, coming 15 years after they secured their first on this same circuit.
That pole in 2009, claimed by Sebastian Vettel, was converted into their first F1 win and first one-two finish.
Post update
Sam Bird
Formula E driver on BBC Radio 5 Live
A really exciting Q3, the fight for second, third, fourth was fantastic. I'm surprised that the Ferraris are down in sixth and seventh but a great job by Alonso as always.
Post update
It is five pole positions out of five for Max Verstappen in 2024.
He is the first driver since since Mika Hakkinen in 1999 to record the first five pole positions of the season.
Top 10
1) Verstappen
2) Perez
3) Alonso
4) Norris
5) Piastri
6) Leclerc
7) Sainz
8) Russell
9) Hulkenberg
10) Bottas
Chequered flag
Max Verstappen secures pole position for the Chinese Grand Prix.
Post update
Then Fernando Alonso goes second, before Sergio Perez nudges him down too and he is on the front row.
Post update
Here comes Lando Norris and he leaps into second and onto the front row.
Post update
Carlos Sainz is up into second but it is a short stay as he is nudged down by Charles Leclerc.
George Russell, meanwhile, is sixth quickest.
Post update
Harry Benjamin
BBC F1 Commentator
Everybody is out there now so we will see what they've all got in these last two minutes. Max Verstappen looking to make it five poles from five qualifyings this season.
Post update
Carlos Sainz kicks off these final flying laps.
Get Involved
#bbcf1
Jeremiah Kariuki: Alonso is the flying Spaniard of Q3. A massive lap for him there. Pray he keeps it after the second runs.
Post update
Three minutes are on the clock as drivers start heading back out.
Post update
Andrew Benson
BBC F1 correspondent
Something weird is going on with those Ferraris, the timing screens are telling us that they are on new tyres for that lap, but how can they be, they are more than seven-tenths off.
to-topLatest Post
Page 1 of 8
Back to top