F1 qualifying LIVE: Australian Grand Prix results as Charles Leclerc beats Max Verstappen to pole position

LIVE – Updated at 08:55

Charles Leclerc took a dramatic pole position at the Australian Grand Prix, his second pole of the season

Leclerc leads the drivers’ standings after two races, with victory at the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix followed by a second-place finish behind reigning world champion Max Verstappen in Saudi Arabia and the Ferrari driver is now well positioned to extend that advantage at Melbourne’s Albert Park street circuit.

Verstappen took second place in qualifying behind his rival, with the other Red Bull of Sergio Perez in third, Lando Norris an impressive fourth in the McLaren and Lewis Hamilton in fifth - out-qualifying his Mercedes teammate George Russell. The second Ferrari of Carlos Sainz is down in ninth.

There were multiple crashes during qualifying with Nicholas Latifi and Lance Stroll coming together to cause a red flag in Q1 and Fernando Alonso’s Alpine heading into the barrier, which led to another stoppage and delay in Q3.

Follow all the latest reaction from qualifying below:

Fernando Alonso is clearly dejected in the media pen after a hydraulics issue caused the crash which cost him a potential shot at pole position in Australia.

The Spaniard had set the fastest middle sector of anybody in Q3 but he lost control of the gears into Turn 11 and hit the barriers and skipping across the gravel trap.

“I think it’s something hydraulic because I could not change gear and the steering became very heavy, so we seemed to lose the power steering,” he told Sky Sports F1. “I don’t know if we could fight for pole but for sure top three. We had two sets of new tyres because we saved them. It is so frustrating. I don’t know and honestly right now I don’t care, I was doing my best weekend in years, so