SQ2 – Perez misses the cut as Sainz sets the pace
It was another busy start as the 10-minute SQ2 began, with the Mercedes duo amongst the first to hit the track. The Silver Arrows set the early pace – ahead of Norris in the McLaren – before the Ferraris of Sainz and Leclerc sandwiched Hamilton by slotting into first and third places.
Verstappen, meanwhile, joined the fray a few minutes into the session and put his Red Bull into P2, just 0.016s behind Sainz’s lap of 1m 33.274s, with the top three covered by one tenth.
As SQ2 entered into its final minutes, Perez found himself at risk in P10 – and the Mexican did not have enough time remaining to try to improve, having left it late to put his effort on the board.
It soon became clear that Perez would not progress through to SQ3, with Tsunoda moving up into 10th to push the Red Bull down into the elimination zone in 11th place.
Gasly ended the segment in P12, while there was double disappointment for Aston Martin with Stroll and Alonso exiting in P13 and P14. Lawson, meanwhile, will line up in P15, with both the New Zealander and Alonso having their lap times deleted.
Knocked out: Perez, Gasly, Stroll, Alonso, Lawson
