On Sunday, the drivers will start the French Grand Prix. Charles Leclerc will start from pole position with Max Verstappen right behind him. Leclerc will not be able to expect much help from his teammate as in qualifying. Carlos Sainz will start from the back of the field, having incurred grid penalties due to an engine change. Follow the race below via GPblog's live blog!

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Strong strategy

Verstappen's hopes for pole position were high on Saturday. After a strong third free practice, he seemed well on his way to get it, but a strong Ferrari with a smart strategy prevented the Dutchman from starting from first place. Sainz gave Leclerc a slipstream on the straights, which the Monegasque was able to take advantage of on his way to his seventh pole position this season.

Red Bull advantage

Red Bull has a big advantage over Ferrari in that they will start with two drivers from the top three. Sergio Perez will start exactly behind his Dutch teammate. Could Red Bull Racing also pull off a feat of teamwork like Ferrari in qualifying? The Red Bull cars of Verstappen and Perez did very well in the free practice sessions on the long runs, so this looks promising.

Hot conditions

Tyre wear is expected to be a major factor in the race, especially as temperatures at Paul Ricard are set to hit and perhaps even exceed 30 degrees Celsius. This could mean that the drivers will have to come in for new rubber several times.