F1 qualifying LIVE: Max Verstappen takes pole position ahead of Sergio Perez at Abu Dhabi GP

Ferrari have rejected claims that team principal Mattia Binotto will be axed after the end of the 2022 Formula 1 season.

A report by Italian outlet Gazzette dello Sport stated Binotto - who has been under intense scrutiny this year after a number of high-profile strategic errors from the Ferrari pit wall - would be replaced by Alfa Romeo team principal Fred Vasseur for the 2023 season.

It added that Vasseur was highly regarded by Ferrari, who supply engines to the Alfa Romeo team - which are the Sauber operation to be supplied by Audi from 2026.

However, Ferrari have moved to dismiss the speculation in a short statement online.

It read: “In relation to speculation in certain media regarding Scuderia Ferrari Team Principal Mattia Binotto’s position, Ferrari states that these rumours are totally without foundation.”

Max Verstappen clinched his seventh pole of the season as he beat Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez to top of the charts in Abu Dhabi Grand Prix qualifying on Saturday.

Ferrari duo Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz filled the second row ahead of the Mercedes duo Lewis Hamilton and George Russell across the third row. McLaren’s Lando Norris, Alpine’s Esteban Ocon, Aston Martin’s Sebastian Vettel and Norris’s teammate Daniel Ricciardo rounded out the top 10.

Solid work for Red Bull - as a reminder, in the constructor standings they are well out in front as champions, and Verstappen is the title winner in the drivers’ standings too - but Sergio Perez still needs to outperform Charles Leclerc to take second.

Further back, Carlos Sainz is six points behind Lewis Hamilton in the race for a top-five spot, with the Brit trailing his Mercedes teammates by 15 points before this weekend.

Lando Norris has been the best of the rest all season, and so it has proven in qualifying again today.

Final qualifying result:

1. Verstappen
2. Perez
3. Leclerc
4. Sainz
5. Hamilton
6. Russell
7. Norris
8. Ocon
9. Vettel
10. Ricciardo

Carlos Sainz overtakes Perez’s time and goes third, while Norris takes seventh with his only clocked time. The Red Bull pair are on their final fighting lap for pole...Verstappen improves his own time and Perez is 0.228s slower.

Still on the front row as it stands.

Hamilton and Russell both post better times, but not enough to improve their positions and overtake the Ferraris.

Verstappen on pole for the Abu Dhabi GP!

Right, final chances coming up to snare the final pole of the season.

Norris still hasn’t set a time but everyone is out now.

Two minutes left in Q3!

Into the final five minutes of Q3.

Important places to be won below that top six of course. Vettel now trying to do exactly that; 317km/h down that long top straight at the Yas Marina Circuit, round the final bend and into seventh.

Ricciardo now trying to set his first lap time, Norris too.

Hamilton slightly faster than Russell - 0.016s difference there.

The Ferrari cars coming around now...and both are better than the Mercedes pair. Red Bull next...and they split their rivals.

It’s Verstappen first, followed by Sainz, Perez, Leclerc, Hamilton and Russell. No time for the McLaren pair yet.

Q3 time. Out comes Verstappen. “Max’s car had a little problem but getting going now,” Perez is told on the radio.

Verstappen has taken pole here the last two years, with Hamilton on pole the two prior to that.

It’s Leclerc who goes early into top spot.

Ricciardo does have a three-place grid penalty to come but he’s into the Q3 and so will start at least 13th.

Looking like Red Bull have the speed and the consistency to get another pole position today, but tomorrow they will be seeking to overcome that troublesome outing in Brazil. Can they land the one-two on the day and for the season?