F1 qualifying LIVE: Updates from rainy Imola as struggling Lewis Hamilton eliminated in Q2

LIVE – Updated at 17:05

Follow all the latest updates from qualifying at a rainy Imola on Friday afternoon as the drivers battle for position ahead of Saturday’s sprint race at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.

Friday has already seen the F1 teams get out on the track for the first practice session of the weekend and qualifying is taking place 24 hours earlier than usual due to the first sprint race of the 2022 season on Saturday before the race itself being in its usual Sunday slot.

During the opening practice, Lewis Hamilton finished only 18th as Charles Leclerc set the pace on a rain-drenched afternoon. Carlos Sainz was second fastest as Ferrari notched a one-two to raise hopes that they’ll continue their sterling start to the campaign that has seen Leclerc win two of the opening three races - holding a commanding 34-point lead at the top of the championship.

World champion Max Verstappen finished third in FP1, 1.465 seconds down, with Kevin Magnussen and Mick Schumacher fourth and fifth respectively for Haas but Mercedes’ early-season woes showed few signs of changing with George Russell only 10th, and team-mate Hamilton even further back, seven seconds off Leclerc’s pace.

Follow all the latest updates from qualifying at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix below:

Q2 top 10:

Verstappen (1:18.793)

Sainz (+0.197)

Norris (+0.501)

Perez (+0.503)

Leclerc (+0.791)

Alonso (+0.802)

Magnussen (+1.109)

Vettel (+1.164)

Ricciardo (+1.238)

Bottas (+1.399)

Lance Stroll (+9.326), Zhou Ganyu (+2.641), Lewis Hamilton (+2.345), Mick Schumacher (+2.123) and George Russell (+1.964) are all eliminated as the chequered flag gets waved.

None of those drivers decided to go back out on the wet tyres.

Max Vertstappen leads Q2 at 1:18.793 and Red Bull