Ferrari's Leclerc grabs pole

Ferrari's Formula One leader Charles Leclerc performed under pressure to come back from a spin with a stunning lap that sent him from 10th to pole position for today's Spanish Grand Prix.

Main rival and reigning world champion Max Verstappen, who had looked like he would take the top slot for Red Bull, had to settle for second after a late loss of speed wrecked his final effort at the Circuit de Catalunya.

Leclerc's lap of one minute 18.750 seconds was just over three tenths of a second quicker than Verstappen's best with the top two continuing a battle that has been the talk of the season. The pole was Leclerc's fourth in six races and second in succession.

Ferrari's home hero Carlos Sainz secured third place, but 0.416 slower than Leclerc. Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton qualified sixth for Mercedes, behind Red Bull's Sergio Perez .