F1: Valtteri Bottas To Start Azerbaijan GP On Pole; Leclerc Crashes In Q2

Mercedes-AMG F1 driver Valtteri Bottas will be starting the 2019 Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix in pole position snatching the lead from teammate Lewis Hamilton. It will be a front-row lockout for Mercedes in Baku, followed by Sebastian Vettel of Scuderia Ferrari in third place. Bottas lapped the circuit in 1m40.995s, 0.059s faster than Hamilton while Vettel lapped 0.302s behind Bottas. Teammate Charles Leclerc crashed out in Q2 after having a promising run during the practice sessions and Q1 and starts at P9 tomorrow.

Max Verstappen set an early pace in Q2 and starts 4th behind Vettel

Starting fourth is Max Verstappen of Red Bull Racing who had a single run in Q3 and was almost three seconds behind Vettel. Racing Point's Sergio Perez qualified fifth, albeit a good half a second behind Verstappen. Torro Rosso's Daniil Kvyat will start sixth in the Azerbaijan GP, ahead of Lando Norris of McLaren. Both drivers showing a promising run in the qualifying session.

Antonio Giovinazzi of Alfa Romeo posted a time of 1m41.069s taking eighth place, ahead of teammate Kimi Raikkonen, but will have to serve a 10-place grid penalty for using his third power unit control electronics for the season over the weekend. This places Raikkonen at P8, while Giovinazzi moves down to 18th.

Charles Leclerc crashed in Q2 but was classified 10th on the grid having set a time of 1m41.995s

Leclerc could not make a run in Q3 but was classified 10th based on his Q2 time, and crashed soon after on the narrow Turn 8 during the session. Carlos Sainz Jr. starts 11th on Sunday, followed by Daniel Ricciardo of Renault in 12th place with Torro Rosso driver Alex Albon starting 13th. Haas driver Kevin Magnussen will start 14th ahead of Lance Stroll of Racing Point. Meanwhile, Red Bull's Pierre Gasly will start from the pitlane after missing the weigh-bridge during FP2. Gasly set the fastest time in Q1 but did not run in Q2, allowing Stroll to take 14th, who was eliminated in Q1.

Haas driver Romain Grosjean starts 17th with Nico Hulkenberg of Renault starting 18th, while Williams driver George Russell starts 19th in a completely rebuilt car after the incident during FP1. Teammate Robert Kubica crashed at Turn 8 during Q1 and will be starting at the back of the grid.