F1 Monaco GP live commentary and updates - Qualifying

Well, we didn't have Ferraris in P4 and P6 on our bingo cards for qualifying, but you can never count Red Bull out. A remarkable lap by Verstappen to edge Antonelli into P2 by 0.205s, and a great job by Hadjar too given his confidence-knocking slip yesterday.

Albon did a 1m13.787s – very close but he was a bit scrappy through the swimming pool section, taking far too much kerb and the car didn't like it.

Gasly's 1m13.762s proves good enough to keep him in P10 and through to Q3.

Verstappen does a 1m12.499s for P1, Hadjar goes P3 with a 1m12.722. Scenes!

Russell pops in another lap... it's better – 1m13.238s – but not enough to elevate him from P8.

Lawson annexes P9 with 1m13.471s. 1m13.3s is the projected cut-off time by F1 TV.

Two minutes to go and the bun fight is in progress for those on the cusp of the top 10.

1m13.010 for Piastri, no elevation from P5 but it gets him closer to teammate Norris.

Antonelli shaves a little more off, 1m12.704s. Leclerc P2, 0.070s off the Mercedes. Hamilton pits for a front wing adjustment - he's 0.387s off P1.

Replay shows Russell's Merc twitching like a go-kart at the swimming pool entry.

So 0.150 separates the top four of Antonelli-Verstapopen-Norris-Leclerc. Piastri in P5 is 0.38s off. Russell still struggling, 1m13.321s – the Ted Rogers fractions – is only good for P8 now.

Yes, Verstappen bounces Norris out of P2 with a 1m12.840s. That's just 0.062s off Antonelli.

As the second half of Q2 approaches we're getting into serious laptimes. Antonelli fastest so far with 1m12.778, Norris a tenth off but Verstappen is purple in sector one, green in sector two...

Obviously Max flies in a different section of the plane, but this writer certainly wouldn't be bouncing such choice phraseology around, having been sandwiched between various Aston Martin, Cadillac and Red Bull bolters in economy on most flights this year.

No further investigation for the Sainz unsafe release.

New softs for everyone as we embark on Q2.

Q2 IS UNDER WAY

Max Verstappen leads the cars out of the pitlane after a near-miss with Carlos Sainz's Williams. That team is now under investigation for an unsafe release, and the mechanic who beckoned Carlos out stands accused by Max of being an effing idiot...

That turned out to be less dramatic than expected as Perez, Bearman, Bottas and Alonso didn't get close to escaping. The cut-off time was Arvid Lindblad's 1m14.685s in P16.

Boom! Sainz goes P10 with 1m14.348s. That gets him out of the drop zone and pushes Ocon into it. Stroll fails to escape by dint of not even attempting a final lap. 

F1 projecting the cut-off time as 1m14.5s. That is somewhere between Lawson and Colapinto in P12 and P13 as things stand – Lawson has done 1m14.498s, Colapinto 1m14.573s.

Colapinto has been unable to force his way into the line of traffic so he's going to be under a lot of pressure. The car very much not letting him in is Albon's Williams - no surprise there given teammate Sainz needs to get out of the drop zone.

Those drivers in the late 14s will be concerned right now – here's looking at you Franco Colapinto, Arvid Lindblad and Esteban Ocon.

Two minutes 11 seconds remaining on the clock.

To be fair, of course, four of those drivers are well acquainted with the process of packing their bags after Q1. It's Bearman and Sainz who will be sweating.

Peril now for those facing expulsion in Q1: Perez, Bearman, Sainz, Bottas, Alonso, Stroll.

Hulkenberg does a tidy lap of personal bests, 1m13.923s is good for P6 ahead of Piastri.

Russell does a 1m14.214s which will probably be enough for him to avoid elimination, but only good for P7 for now.

Cracking lap for Verstappen: 1m13.490s. That's faster even than Antonelli.

Fascinating. Leclerc finds more time – 1m13.293 – but was only purple in the middle sector and he was slower than before in the other two.

Leclerc's 1m13.399s remains the fastest time so far.

Antonelli pops in a 1m13.946s but his third sector was nothing to write home about. Replays show Russell quelling an oversteer moment at Mirabeau, which will explain why his lap was a modest 1m14.857s.

Russell very much in need of a clear lap. Only P17 on 1m15.732s for now, but he'd building a push lap – personal best in sector one but not purple.

Norris now fastest on 1m13.796s but Leclerc immediately surpasses him to the tune of 0.397s. Times tumbling courtesy of track evolution and growing tyre temperatures.

Verstappen goes around in 1m14.504s, which is P5 for now. He had to navigate a ridiculous amount of traffic towards the end of his lap.

Leclerc fastest of the early runners with 1m14.141s, 0.154s quicker than Norris with Antonelli third on 1m14.313s.

Verstappen has bailed out of his first push lap and is going again...