F1 French Grand Prix qualifying results and highlights from Circuit Paul Ricard as Leclerc takes pole

Charles Leclerc claimed pole at the French Grand Prix ahead of world champion Max Verstappen.

Leclerc and his Ferrari team-mate Carlos Sainz, who will start at the back of the grid after having a new engine and control electronics fitted, were dominant during Friday practice but Verstappen hit back to go quickest in FP3.

Leclerc found the response he needed with a hot lap of 1:30.872 in Q3 to pip the world champion to first place on the grid.

It is the Monegasque driver's 16th career pole and seventh this season, and he will now turn his attention toward attempting to claim back-to-back wins after his triumph in Austria last time out.

MORE: Formula 1 standings 2022: Updated schedule, results, betting odds for every F1 World Championship race

Sergio Perez is in third, meaning Leclerc will have to fight a lone battle at the front on Sunday — something that would not have been the case but for Sainz's required mechanical alterations.

The Ferrari driver frequently looked like he had more pace than anyone out there, but must now put that to use from 19th position, having effectively towed his colleague to the front of the grid. 

Speaking after qualifying, Leclerc acknowledged his teammate's superiority out on the track.

"It was a great lap. I've struggled all weekend to put a lap together but I put it in and I have to says thanks to Carlos for the help. It was great teamwork," he said.

"I was very surprised by the pace we had. We managed to turn it around for qualifying. The car felt good, it is difficult to understand what the Red Bull guys did yesterday as there was loads of difference with lap times. Let's see how it goes tomorrow."

CHARLES: “Without Carlos [giving me a tow] it would have been much closer. So huge thanks to him. The car feels good. Let’s see how it goes tomorrow”#FrenchGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/7KVcx4lwxA

— Formula 1 (@F1) July 23, 2022

There was another decent showing from the Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton and George Russell, who were fourth and six after being split by fellow Briton Lando Norris in his McLaren.

Fernando Alonso in the Alpine and Yuki Tsunoda's AlphaTauri make up the fourth row, while Kevin Magnussen will join Sainz at the back of the grid after being handed similar penalties.

MORE: French Grand Prix 2022: Carlos Sainz quickest in FP2 on bittersweet day for Ferrari star

F1 French Grand Prix 2022 starting grid

F1 French Grand Prix qualifying live updates

End of Q3: Leclerc is on provisional pole and also has the edge through the first second over Verstappen on their final flying laps. This is looking good for the Ferrari man. Leclerc through the line with his fastest lap of 1:30.872. It's pole for Leclerc as Verstappen can't better him. Hamilton is onto the second row alongside Perez, with Norris knocking Russell down to sixth to split the two Mercedes.

07:00 left in Q3: Perez sets a 1:31.6, with Leclerc crossing to go four-tenths faster than him. Verstappen goes second, with Russell and Hamilton provisionally fourth and fifth ahead of Norris.

Lights out for Q3: Hamilton and Russell are on used tyres. All eyes on whether Verstappen can overhaul Leclerc for pole.

🟢 Q3 GREEN LIGHT 🟢

The top 10 shootout starts now! #FrenchGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/6PZcQWSqXC

— Formula 1 (@F1) July 23, 2022

End of Q2: Russell saves himself by going sixth with his last hot lap of the session. Can Mercedes teammate Hamilton do likewise... yes, he's fifth! Sainz and Leclerc lead home the two Red Bulls ahead of him. Ricciardo, Ocon, Bottas, Vettel and Albon do not make the cut for Q3.

05:00 left in Q2: Sainz goes quickest as he and Magnussen continue their exercise in futility. A blistering 1:31.081 from the Spaniard! Vettel, Russell, Ocon, Albon and Tsunoda occupy the elimination places. It's not happening for Mercedes right now.

10:00 left in Q2: Verstappen and Perez go 1-2 ahead of Leclerc, with Norris again impressing in fourth ahead of the scuppered Magnussen.

Lights out in Q2: Schumacher's elimination is upheld. Hamilton is the first man to set a time with 1:33.329.

Schumacher remains in his car. Haas think they have a case to make to get that elimination overturned. The stewards are looking at it but replays suggest he has just gone too far over the kerb.

END OF Q1: Albon spins, giving him a nervous wait as he lurks just above the elimination line in 13th. He'll be okay, but Hamilton was on a hot lap and had to duck out after Albon's incident happened ahead of him. He's only eighth. Schumacher looks like he's saved himself with a blistering lap that landed him 10th... briefly, but the German and Ricciardo have their most recent times scrubbed for exceeding track limits.

Magnussen set a time and a good one in the end, going sixth. That put him behind a top five of Leclerc, Verstappen. Sainz, Perez and Norris. Gasly, Stroll, Zhou, Schumacher and Latifi are eliminated.

05:00 left in Q1: Sainz sets his first time to go third fastest behind Leclerc and Verstappen. The Ferrari man's grid penalties mean he will be starting at the rear regardless. Magnussen appears to have decided his own penalties make qualifying a waste of tyres and petrol. He's not set a time and Vettel, Latifi, Schumacher and Zhou are with him in the elimination places with five minutes to go.

10:00 left in Q1: Leclerc and Verstappen have each posted times, with the world champion just clocking his first hot lap, ducking in second behind his title rival. There's a little over a tenth of a second between Leclerc and Verstappen. Perez is next, with Norris — who has impressed in the McLaren so far this weekend — up in fourth ahead of Bottas and Hamilton

Lights out for Q1: Here we go! The first cars are out on the track. The times in practice from the midfield have been very, very tight. The difference between reaching Q2 and not could come down to the barest of margins.

15 minutes until qualifying begins: Red Bull were second best last night but their impressive straight-line speed in FP3 suggests some rear-wing adjustments have come up trumps. Will Ferrari have been able to find any tweaks to respond?

30 minutes until qualifying begins: Jamie Chadwick has just racked up her seventh consecutive victory, making it five out of five this season in the W Series. F1 qualifying will be next on the track at Circuit Paul Ricard.

Seven in a row, 5/5 👏

After starting P3, @JamieChadwick put in a mega drive to finish on the top step of the podium. 🏆#WSeriesFrance 🇫🇷 #WSeries #F1 pic.twitter.com/3rmIXXOrTE

— W Series (@WSeriesRacing) July 23, 2022

45 minutes until qualifying begins: So, the reason for Sainz's demotion, irrespective of what happens during qualifying, is he took a complete new engine — his fourth of the season, which is one more than is allowed. This reality informed Sainz's approach to his impressive practice sessions on Friday.

"I didn't do many laps on the short run on the low field but every lap I did was super-competitive so it shows the steps we are taking is going in the right direction," he said. "I was focusing more on the long run because I am not going to be in the fight for pole position given the amount of penalties.

1 hour until qualifying begins: Ferrari have been giving Red Bull plenty to think about over recent weeks but, irrespective of what happens in qualifying, Carlos Sainz is set to start at the back of the grid. The Spaniard had a 10-place grid penalty confirmed after he had new control electronics installed and he expects there to be further penalties for taking on further power unit elements. Kevin Magnussen in the Haas is in the same boat.

Charles Leclerc finds himself in a spin as he pushes the limit 😲🔄#FrenchGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/rgHKesF6JZ

— Formula 1 (@F1) July 23, 2022

1 hour 20 mins until qualifying begins: Hello and welcome to The Sporting News' Iive coverage of qualifying for Sunday's French Grand Prix at Circuit Paul Ricard. Here's how things shook out in FP3 earlier, with Max Verstappen hitting back after a strong Friday for Ferrari.

What channel is the F1 race on tomorrow?

• Race: FrenchGrand Prix
• Date: Sunday, July 24
• TV channel: Sky Sports F1
• Live stream: fuboTV

The ESPN family of networks will broadcast all 2022 F1 races in the United States using Sky Sports' feed, with select races airing on ABC. You can also stream Formula 1 races live in the U.S. with fuboTV.

ESPN Deportes serves as the exclusive Spanish-language home for all 2022 F1 races in the U.S.

What time does the F1 race start tomorrow?

• Date: Sunday, July 24
• Start time: 2 p.m. BST

Sunday's 2022 French Grand Prix is scheduled to start at 3 p.m. local time. Lights out should come just after 2 p.m. BST. Sky Sports F1's pre-race show typically airs in the hour before the start of the race.

Formula 1 live stream for the British Grand Prix

For those who don't have a cable or satellite subscription, five major OTT TV streaming options carry the ESPN networks — fuboTV, Sling, Hulu, YouTubeTV and DirecTV Stream. 

For those who do have a cable or satellite subscription but are not in front of a TV, Formula 1 races in 2022 can be streamed live via phones, tablets and other devices on the ESPN app with authentication.

Formula 1 schedule 2022

There are 22 scheduled events on the F1 docket for 2022, one race shy of tying the mark for the longest F1 calendar.

The season started in Bahrain on March 20 and will end with the customary Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, although a bit earlier than usual, in November. If the schedule stands, this will be the earliest end of the Formula 1 season since it concluded on Nov. 4 in 2013.

Returning to the 2022 F1 slate are the Canadian and Japanese Grand Prix, both of which were cancelled in 2021 amid fallout from the coronavirus pandemic. 

The calendar also holds the maiden voyage for the Miami Grand Prix, the first of two races in the United States in 2022, with the customary United States GP taking place in October.

The Russian Grand Prix, originally scheduled for Sept. 25, was cancelled because of the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

Here's the latest schedule (subject to change - all times BST):

How to watch Formula 1 in Canada

• TV channel: TSN (English); RDS (French)
• Live stream: TSN Direct

For fans in Canada, TSN will carry the English-language telecast of races. For those looking for the French broadcast, RDS will have you covered.

Races can also be streamed via TSN's streaming service, TSN Direct.

How to watch Formula 1 in the United Kingdom

• TV channel: Sky Sports F1
• Live stream: NOW TV

Viewers in the United Kingdom can catch all F1 action on Sky Sports F1, the dedicated F1 channel. For viewers planning to live stream F1 in 2022, you can purchase a Sky Sports Pass on NOW TV.

How to watch Formula 1 in Australia

• TV channel: Fox Sports; Channel 10
• Live stream: Kayo

Fox Sports will carry all races in Australia, with Channel 10 broadcasting the Australian GP.