It was a poor first qualifying session for Williams with both drivers out alongside Stroll and the Haas. With Latifi outqualifying his team mate (who is shortly heading for the Mercedes seat). Then there were no shocks in Q2 with the remaining Aston Martin out, Ocon, Tsunoda and both Alfa Romeos.
Thank heaven it is a sprint weekend as the final Qualifying session was equally as dull. Hamilton easily came in first with his championship rival, Verstappen behind him. Followed by the other Mercedes and then the other Red Bull. Gasly got 5th again, he is showing strong as best of the rest. Two Ferraris, then two McLarens and then Alonso. Very predictable.
Into the Sprint and there were two shock announcements. Verstappen had been seen poking at the Mercedes rear wing in Parc Ferme and was handed €50,000 fine. Which Red Bull will pay anyway because he now gets a bonus for being on pole because...Mercedes rear wing was a little to big and a ball on a stick went through it. So he was disqualified from Qualifying and starts the Sprint at the back of the grid.
Bottas got the better start over Verstappen with the softer tires. Sainz also got up to second quickly, tripping the Dutchman into going wide and over the curbs. Raikkonen had a lovely big spin too, being tipped by his team mate and giving Alonso, who had a front row seat a leg up.
Hamilton carved his way through the pack, at half way through he was half way through, ending up in 5th place. Sainz qualified his Ferrari in 3rd, which is good for them and with LeClerc in in 7th, they are dominant over McLaren again (6th and 11th).
To finish the day Felipe Massa gave the top three a laurel wreath. Sainz promptly gave his way and no one dallied on the "podium".
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