F1 qualifying LIVE: Spanish Grand Prix final practice session results as Charles Leclerc pips Max Verstappen

LIVE – Updated at 13:52

Follow all the action from the Spanish Grand Prix as qualifying takes place this afternoon.

Max Verstappen’s victory in Miami reduced Charles Leclerc’s lead at the top of the drivers’ standings to just 19 points but it was the Ferrari driver who was quickest in yesterday’s second practice session. There were also encouraging signs for Mercedes after it was revealed the team had been testing new upgrades to their car at a filming day earlier this week. George Russell finished second in practice, ahead of teammate Lewis Hamilton, who was buoyed by the progress after consistently struggling with the car’s porpoising issue.

Earlier on Saturday, Leclerc completed a hat-trick of fastest laps by finishing top of the timesheets again in FP3, while Mercedes confirmed their increase in pace with another strong session for George Russell and Lewis Hamilton. The Silver Arrows have significantly decreased the intensity of the porpoising they have been suffering so far this season, and could well change for pole position in qualifying,

Championship leader Leclerc goes into qualifying as favourite to secure pole, but Red Bull’s long run pace has been impressive, and Mercedes cannot be ruled out after their step forward.

Lewis Hamilton says he is “super happy” with the progress his Mercedes team appear to have made in the run up to the Spanish Grand Prix.

In the two practice sessions which took place at the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona on Friday, Mercedes seemed to take a significant step forward, ending the day second and third fastest behind Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc with an enormous reduction in the intensity of porpoising. In saturday’s final practice sesion, George Russel was third fastest and