Formula 1

For Norris it was a fourth pole position in five races and his sixth this year as he chases Verstappen in pursuit of the championship.

The 2025 ROC takes place just a week before the Australian Grand Prix at Melbourne's Albert Park, set for March 14-16.

Red Bull boss Christian Horner earlier told Sky Sports television that he expected the FIA to ban the McLaren rear wing.

McLaren team boss Andrea Stella suggested that the team would bias their support to Lando and made clear they were abandoning a policy of non-interference as the Brit goes chasing leader Max Verstappen with six races to go this season.

Alpine, who won titles as Benetton and then Renault, have a vacancy to fill after announcing Frenchman Esteban Ocon was leaving at the end of the year.

Carlos Sainz will be replaced at Ferrari by seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton next year.

Gasly joined Alpine last season from Scuderia Alpha on a deal until 2025. His best performance with Alpine was a third-placed finish in the Dutch Grand Prix but sits 15th in the drivers' championship this season.

Leclerc will start in front of the Australian Oscar Piastri of McLaren on the front row.

The top four were separated by four-tenths of a second for the final runs which saw Max Verstappen, digging into his reserves of talent, grab pole with a dazzling lap.

This is the fourth time that Max Verstappen has claimed pole in as many races this F1 season.

He suggested in Saudi Arabia last month that he would consider leaving if the team parted company with long-term mentor Helmut Marko.

Carlos Sainz, who had appendicitis surgery two weeks ago and missed the last race, took the chequered flag 2.3 seconds ahead of teammate Charles Leclerc, with McLaren's Lando Norris a bold third.

The Dutch driver's future has been the subject of some speculation, despite Red Bull being way ahead of the rest, as a consequence of allegations by a female team employee against principal Christian Horner.

The Dutch driver will be hot favourite to make it two wins from two on this street circuit. While teammate Sergio Perez in the other Red Bull is on the second row as he timed the third fastest lap in the qualifiers.

FanCode will become exclusive broadcast partner to Formula 1 for the 2024 and 2025 seasons, streaming all race weekends in India including practice and qualifying sessions, F1 Sprint events and Grand Prix.

Max Verstappen suggested Lewis Hamilton would be barred from some Mercedes team meetings during the 2024 season because he was destined to join a rival outfit.