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By: Jake Boxall-Legge

Summary

Hamilton beats Bottas by 0.069s to pole, Sainz third for McLaren as Perez edges Verstappen to fourth
Hamilton beat Bottas in Q1 using medium compound tyres, only for Bottas to turn the tables on softs in Q2
Ricciardo's Renault qualifies P7 after fuel pump issue in FP3
Kvyat, Ocon, Leclerc, Raikkonen, Magnussen knocked out in Q2 as both Ferraris qualify outside the top 10
Grosjean, Vettel, Giovinazzi, Russell and Latifi knocked out in Q1
Ocon summoned to the stewards for defending against Raikkonen in Q1
No further action taken after FP3 near-miss involving Hamilton
Status: Stopped
That wraps it up for our live text coverage for today, but be sure to check back in tomorrow for the main event: the 2020 F1 Italian Grand Prix. The race starts at 14:10 BST (15:10 local time) tomorrow, with all the usual pre-race build up and chat before that. Until then, go well!
 
Aside from the Q1 shenanigans, it was a much cleaner qualifying than most would have predicted going on what happened in FP3. Just a quick reminder that Latifi, Ocon and Raikkonen are under investigation for their incident at the end of the first session.
 
Hamilton: "Fantastic performance from the team today, in terms of timing when they put us out on track. It was not the easiest as you saw how close it was between us all so it demanded a really clean lap and I felt I got that so I'm very happy."
Bottas: "It was really close as I was expecting. I am not sure about the tow, I didn't have any, until the end and I kind of felt the benefit but then on the final lap I was on my own again. It was a good place to be but obviously we didn't get any gains in the straightline."
So Hamilton takes his 94th F1 career pole position by 0.069s from Bottas. Simply stunning numbers. Credit to Sainz too.
There's still a few seconds of Q3 to go but with everyone forced to head out early by the bolting Mercedes drivers the chequered flag is waved to an empty track and an empty grandstand.
Sainz stuns with his final lap to jump up to third place for McLaren with a 1m19.695s! He pushes Perez back to fourth for Racing Point with Verstappen only fifth for Red Bull. That shakes up the order a little.
But it doesn't last for long as Hamilton also improves to retake pole position with a 1m18.887s!
...and the Finn's third sector is also an improvement to produce a 1m18.956s to take provisional pole!
Bottas puts in a solid first sector and is flying in the second sector...
The rest of the Q3 runners have joined Bottas and Hamilton on track, so the Mercedes pair haven't really got away entirely but it has spread out the pack ahead of the final timed efforts.
Mercedes is trying to get the jump on its rivals by coming out early for the second runs. Clever work from the reigning champions rather than getting stuck in a standoff with the rest of the cars.
But it is a nightmare lap for Albon who runs wide at the Parabolica, again, to see his lap time duly deleted. He was gaining a tow from Verstappen so you'd assume he'll need to repay the favour on the final runs, so he has it all to do.
And again it is Perez who moves into third place as best of the rest behind the Mercedes pair. He pushes ahead of Verstappen by almost two-tenths of a second.
Bottas produces a 1m19.121s but he is instantly beaten by Hamilton who takes provisional pole with a 1m19.068s.
As expected all 10 drivers are out on track early for the first runs. Bottas leads this latest train ahead of Hamilton.
Q3 is now underway so hopefully the drivers will behave this time around.
It was this time last year when qualifying for the Italian GP turned into a bit of an embarrassment with almost all drivers failing to start their final laps after being caught out by the chequered flag while waiting for a tow opportunity.
 
Albon and Ricciardo will be the drivers sighing with relief having been on the bubble throughout that session. But they have made it into Q3 which is all that matters.
 
That means Kvyat, Ocon, Leclerc, Raikkonen and Magnussen drop out in Q2.
...Magnussen goes off track at the Lesmos which briefly causes a yellow flag. That might have disrupted things for the drivers behind him as there were drivers who improved to jump into the top 10.
The chequered flag is out at the end of Q2. Final laps being clocked...
But a tow would've made little difference as he runs wide coming out of the second chicane. That's his lap wrecked and now he must sweat over his P9 spot.
In a flash all 15 drivers in Q2 are back out on track. Ricciardo leads the train so he won't be getting a tow.
The TV director is bouncing between shots of F1 team mechanics staring at each other in the pits. Just need the 'A Fistful of Dollars' theme to be played over the top of the action.
All quiet on track as the drivers prepare for their second and final runs in Q2. Can you feel the tension building? They probably aren't at Mercedes with a comfortable margin over the rest of the field once again.
 
The stewards will investigate the Q1 incident involving Ocon, Latifi and Raikkonen after qualifying.
Those with work to do are Kvyat, Ocon, Leclerc, Magnussen and Raikkonen who are set to drop out of Q2 as things stand. Albon is the driver they'll target on their second runs with the Red Bull driver P10 having set a 1m 20.064s.
Once again Perez is currently P3, with Sainz also in P4 and Verstappen P5 again. All very familiar at the sharp end.
Bottas leads Hamilton on track in this first Q2 run, keeping clear of any traffic issues behind them. Bottas puts in a 1m19.417s but is instantly beaten by Hamilton who notches up a 1m19.092s.
All drivers, including Mercedes duo Hamilton and Bottas, are out on the soft tyres at the start of Q2.
Early indications are yes as a collection of 10 drivers all come out together looking to join the latest F1 car train.
Q2 is go! Will it be a repeat of the first session?
As expected that was a messy end to Q1 with drivers not giving each other enough space while looking for the tow. That incident at the Parabolica before the final timed laps has been noted by race direction.

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