Charles Leclerc French Grand Prix

Charles Leclerc scorched to a sizzling pole position with a commanding lap in Saturday’s qualifying session at the French Grand Prix. Photo: Twitter @ScuderiaFerrari

French Grand Prix: FINAL grid positions after ALL driver penalties

Charles Leclerc scorched to a sizzling pole position with a commanding lap in Saturday’s qualifying session at the French Grand Prix.

Charles Leclerc French Grand Prix

Charles Leclerc scorched to a sizzling pole position with a commanding lap in Saturday’s qualifying session at the French Grand Prix. Photo: Twitter @ScuderiaFerrari

Charles Leclerc scorched to a sizzling pole position with a commanding lap in Saturday’s sun-baked qualifying session at the French Grand Prix, the Ferrari driver beating series leader and world champion Max Verstappen of Red Bull by 0.304 seconds.

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The 24-year-old Monegasque driver clocked a best lap of one minute and 30.872 seconds to claim his seventh pole this year and the 16th of his career in front of a sell-out crowd at the Paul Ricard circuit.

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Starting grid for Sunday’s French Grand Prix:

Front row

Charles Leclerc (MON/Ferrari)

Max Verstappen (NED/Red Bull)

2nd row

Sergio Pérez (MEX/Red Bull)

Lewis Hamilton (GBR/Mercedes)

3rd row

Lando Norris (GBR/McLaren-Mercedes)

George Russell (GBR/Mercedes)

4th row

Fernando Alonso (ESP/Alpine-Renault)

Yuki Tsunoda (JPN/AlphaTauri-Red Bull)

5th row

Daniel Ricciardo (AUS/McLaren-Mercedes)

Esteban Ocon (FRA/Alpine-Renault)

6th row

Valtteri Bottas (FIN/Alfa Romeo)

Sebastian Vettel (GER/Aston Martin-Mercedes)

7th row

Alexander Albon (THA/Williams-Mercedes)

Pierre Gasly (FRA/AlphaTauri-Red Bull)

8th row

Lance Stroll (CAN/Aston Martin-Mercedes)

Zhou Guanyu (CHN/Alfa Romeo)

9th row

Mick Schumacher (GER/Haas-Ferrari)

Nicholas Latifi (CAN/Williams-Mercedes)

10th row

Carlos Sainz (ESP/Ferrari)

Kevin Magnussen (DEN/Haas-Ferrari)

Note: Sainz and Magnussen start from back of the grid after having new engines fitted on their cars