Andrew Benson
BBC F1 correspondent

What is interesting about the first times from Antonelli and the two Ferraris is that Antonelli improved by a tenth compared to Q2 but the two Ferraris are both slow. We've just seen Lewis Hamilton have an error in Turn 10. Charles Leclerc had a bit of a moment going into the back straights, maybe that is where they have lost their time. There is still time for Ferrari to improve and get to Antonelli's time.

George Russell is the only driver without a time on the board after those opening runs in China qualifying. The Mercedes crew are working hard to get him back up and running but he's got a mountain to climb now.

Max Verstappen is sixth, his Red Bull team-mate Isack Hadjar seventh, Haas' Oliver Bearman is in eighth and the Alpine is in ninth.

George Russell has made his way back to the pits and can only watch on for the moment as his crew work to mend the battery and team-mate Kimi Antonelli takes provisional pole.

Here comes the McLarens and Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris knock down the two Ferraris of Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton. Australian Piastri is on the front row with world champion Norris in third.

Image source, Getty Images

Sam Bird
Formula E driver on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

It is not pulling at all, he has no speed. I don't think he can shift to second at the moment. He can't shift up. He's going to have to box. Maybe George Russell will not be on the front row of the grid and it will be up to his team-mate Kimi Antonelli.

Kimi Antonelli is purple in all three sectors and the Italian goes onto provisional pole with a 1:32.322.

Charles Leclerc goes onto the front row in second and Lewis Hamilton sits third alongside the Haas of Oliver Bearman.

George Russell has managed to start his car but he's feeding information to his Mercedes pit wall that he's struggling with his gears. While Russell has issues, Kimi Antonelli is starting his first flyer...

George Russell has had some rhinoplasty to his Mercedes nose but the Briton has now stopped on track! He says he's got no battery and the crowd are on their feet to see what has happened.

Q3 is green!

Sam Bird
Formula E driver on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

Right now, the Mercedes mechanics are checking George Russell's front wing, just to check that there is nothing wrong with that and that they have the right angle on his front wing.

Esteban Ocon, Liam Lawson and Arvid Lindblad were all caught out by Gabriel Bortoleto going off at the final corner, while george Russell flagged some issues with his car at the end of that Q2 session.

Image source, Getty Images

11. Nico Hulkenberg (Audi)

12. Franco Colapinto (Alpine)

13. Esteban Ocon (Haas)

14. Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls)

15. Arvid Lindblad (Racing Bulls)

16. Gabriel Bortoleto (Audi)

Image source, Getty Images

The gaps are closer in this Q2 session and Kimi Antonelli beats Charles Leclerc's time by 0.043 seconds to go top of the timehseets.

The double yellows are being waved - Gabriel Bortoleto has come to a stop! The Brazilian gets his car going away and Pierre Gasly crosses the line to leap to P5.

Franco Colapinto is next to try and book a slot in the pole shootout, which would knockout Isack Hadjar, but the Argentine just misses out.

Arvid Lindblad had his lap time deleted so the rookie misses out.

Andrew Benson
BBC F1 correspondent

The first runs McLaren were on used tyres, along with Mercedes and Ferrari. Everyone else were on new, so that explains why they are looking a bit slow at the moment.

Oscar Piastri finishes his lap and goes above Max Verstappen and into fifth place. That quickly changes, though, as McLaren team-mate Lando Norris takes his lot with his lap on the softs.

Charles Leclerc, meanwhile, is hitting purple sectors across the circuit and he goes fastest of the lot with a time of 1:32.486.

Mike Sturgess: Unfortunately I feel like F1 has diminished from being a drivers skill racing series. The boost feature needs to be removed, why should the car in front be penalised on power limitation just because they got in front. It's become a 1990's driving computer game, huge step backwards.

Graham Wright: They're taken all of the skill out of overtakes, use your Mario Kart mushroom and youre through. The usually boring races like Monaco could be the most exciting this year.

Sam Bird
Formula E driver on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

Gasly is my hot shoe-in to make it into Q3 of the drivers that haven't done a competitive time so far in the session. I can't see Colapinto troubling the top 10, unfortunately. But, Gasly, with that Mercedes powertrain at the back of the Alpine looks to be competitive here.

McLaren were the team to beat in previous seasons but the constructors' champions are finding themselves best of the rest so far with the new regulations. Oscar Piastri is just above the bottom six in 10th place and has just started his flyer on fresh soft rubber.

Image source, Getty Images

Sam Bird
Formula E driver on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

This man has been in good form, Ollie Bearman. He sweeps through the final corner, he moves into sixth place, in front of Lando Norris and Isack Hadjar.

Pierre Gasly is sitting in the drop zone but his flying lap gains him a couple of places to P8. Liam Lawson finishes his attempt in the Racing Bulls but the New Zealander can't find the safety rope to climb out of the elimination pit just yet. P14 for Lawson, who is joined by Arvid Lindblad, Gabriel Bortoleto, Nico Hulkenberg, Esteban Ocon and franco Colapinto.

Sam Bird
Formula E driver on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

Really good form for George Russell. That last session, Charles Leclerc being P1 in Q1 is the first time in a proper session where it is a qualifying or race session this year, when someone has beaten George Russell.

Lewis Hamilton crosses the line and lifts his car above his Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc but his marker is three tenths away from George Russell's top time.

Max Verstappen is fifth quickest and the Haas of Oliver Bearman is sixth but world champion Lando Norris is down in seventh, a long way off Russell at the front of the pack.