Hamilton takes pole position in Germany, Vettel out in Q1!

Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton has taken pole position for the German team at the Hockenheimring, while his rival Sebastian Vettel wasn't able to run in Q1 because of an engine issue and Charles Leclerc couldn't run in Q3.

Both Ferrari cars were favourites for pole position after a very good showing during the Free Practice sessions, but Vettel couldn't set a time at all, and Leclerc had to climb out of his SF-90 at the start of Q3.

It meant Mercedes and Red Bull Racing were licking their lips, but Hamilton proved to be quickest as he beat the field with a very quick 1:11.767.

Max Verstappen will accompany the Brit on the first row on the grid, with Valtteri Bottas and Pierre Gasly starting from P3 and P4 respectively.

Q1

The main story of Q1 was Vettel, and not for the right reasons. The German reported an engine issue on his out lap and came in, and eventually couldn't run at all. The man who took pole position in front of his home fans here last season will start from the back for Ferrari!

At the top, Leclerc had daylight between himself and the rest of the grid. After initial issues for Mercedes, Bottas and Hamilton put their W10's well within the top ten, although nowhere near the pacesetter. Red Bull Racing had Verstappen in P2 and Pierre Gasly in P4, encouraging signs for them.

The midfield was unbelievably close, even for this year's standards. 15 cars were within a second of each other. It meant bad news for Alexander Albon, who got stuck in traffic on his final flying lap, as well as Lando Norris, who couldn't make it to Q2 for McLaren. Needless to say, the two Williams cars were also out, with Robert Kubica pipping George Russell this instance.

Q2

The second of the three sessions featured another engine issue for a top driver. This time, Verstappen had power unit issues but the Dutchman was able to run in the end, comfortably making it to Q3 in P5.

Hamilton set the pace in Q2, with Leclerc following suit and Bottas and Gasly behind there. Both Mercedes cars, as well as Leclerc, were on medium tyres.

Between P8 and P13, there was just four-tenths of a second. Kevin Magnussen, Daniel Ricciardo, Antonio Giovinazzi, Daniil Kvyat and Lance Stroll, who finally broke his streak of not making it out of Q1. The Canadian will start from P15.

Q3

More drama in the final shoot-out. Charles Leclerc, favourite to take pole position for Ferrari, climbed out of his SF-90 with another mechanical issue, meaning both Ferrari cars have suffered issues on Saturday. Very, very frustrating for the team as well as the drivers, who looked fit to take a front-row lock-out.

This meant pole position was up for grabs for Mercedes and Red Bull. Cometh the hour, cometh Lewis Hamilton. The Brit put in a rapid 1:11.767 in his first stint, over three-tenths quicker than Verstappen in P2.

He didn't improve on his time, but nor did Verstappen or Bottas for that matter, meaning Hamilton and the Dutchman will share the first row on the starting grid. Pierre Gasly is in P4.

In midfield, Kimi Raikkonen sped to an incredible P5 for Alfa Romeo, leading the midfield and beating his teammate Giovinazzi by six places.