Formula One: Max Verstappen claims impressive pole position at French Grand Prix

Red Bull driver will start at front of grid ahead of world champion Hamilton in second

Red Bull's Max Verstappen celebrates after securing pole position for the French Grand Prix on Saturday, June 19. Reuters

Max Verstappen will start Sunday's race at the Circuit Paul Ricard in pole position. Getty

Red Bull's Max Verstappen on his way to securing pole. Reuters

Mercdes' Lewis Hamilton will start second on the grid. Getty

Red Bull's Sergio Perez who will start fourth on the grid. Getty

Red Bull's Max Verstappen during qualifying. Reuters

Mercedes' Valtteri Bottas will be third on the grid on Sunday. Getty

Alpha Tauri's Yuki Tsunoda of Japan after crashing during qualifying. PA

Mercedes' Valtteri Bottas will start second on the grid. AFP

Ferrari's Charles Leclerc drives during the first qualifying session. AFP

Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton ahead of McLaren driver Daniel Ricciardo during the third practice session at the Circuit Paul-Ricard. AFP

Red Bull driver Max Verstappen took pole position for the French Grand Prix ahead of title rival Lewis Hamilton.

Verstappen has set the pace all weekend and finished Saturday's qualifying at the Circuit Paul Ricard 0.258 seconds ahead of the reigning world champion.

Hamilton's Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas was third, 0.128 secs behind the Brit, with the second Red Bull of Sergio Perez – the winner two weeks ago in Baku – in fourth.

Verstappen leads Hamilton by four points in the Formula One drivers' word championship ahead of the seventh race of the season at the Circuit Paul Ricard on Sunday.

"So far, it's been a really positive weekend, on a track that is normally difficult for us. To get pole position was really nice," said Verstappen.

"Great day for us but we have to finish it off tomorrow and get 25 points – which we lost in Baku. Great promise from our side. The car felt good, so looking forward to it."

Hamilton won from pole the last two races staged at Le Castellet in 2018 and 2019, but Verstappen had approached qualifying as the man to beat after dominating the final two practice sessions.

The Dutchman’s display, when he was the only driver to lap below the one minute, 30 second mark, earned Verstappen his second pole of the season and fifth of his career.

It also ended Mercedes' run of practice and qualifying dominance at the Paul Ricard track. The reigning champions had led every practice and qualifying session for the two races the circuit has hosted since joining the calendar in 2018, with Hamilton winning both from pole.

Nevertheless, it marked a welcome return to form for Mercedes after two poor weekends in Monaco and Baku and early struggles at Paul Ricard this weekend.

"It's been a really hard weekend – not physically but trying to get the car into a happy place. Going round and round, making so many changes since practice one, chasing our tail," Hamilton said.

"Congrats to Max, he did an incredible job. I think they have a new engine – not a new spec – but a new engine and there's a lot of time on the straights.

"We'll keep pushing, keep fighting and giving it everything. Their long-run pace is a tenth or two quicker than us, but the car's in a much different place now."

Saturday’s qualifying session was interrupted by two red flags. Japanese rookie Yuki Tsunoda caused the first stoppage just three minutes into the hour-long session when he lost control of his AlphaTauri at the first corner and ended up in the barriers.

Mick Schumacher brought the red flags out for a second time in the dying seconds of the opening phase of qualifying, when the German spun off into the barriers.