After another delay while Race Control worked out whether Bearman’s final time should stand or not, Verstappen continued where he left off in Q1 by going quickest on the opening Q2 runs, before Norris and then Piastri (1m 15.241s) moved to the fore.
Russell held fourth position from the Ferraris, with Hadjar seventh over Alonso, Sainz and Antonelli, leaving Stroll, Gasly, Albon and Bortoleto in the drop zone for the second runs – Colapinto already eliminated from the action after his Q1 off.
Aston Martin opted for a different approach as the cars rolled back out of the pit lane – both Alonso and Stroll emerging on sets of medium tyres, rather than softs. The remaining drivers, minus the aforementioned Colapinto, stuck with the new C6 compound.
As the clock ticked down and the chequered flag came out, Sainz delivered a magical final lap to go fastest on a 1m 15.198s – putting him just ahead of Piastri, Norris, Russell and Verstappen, with the updated, medium-shod Aston Martins also safely through.
This spelt disaster for Ferrari drivers Leclerc and Hamilton and Mercedes rookie Antonelli, who were dramatically denied Q3 spots by Gasly, Hadjar and Albon and wound up 11th, 12th and 13th respectively, ahead of Bortoleto and Colapinto.
Knocked out: Leclerc, Hamilton, Antonelli, Bortoleto, Colapinto