Charles Leclerc edges out Max Verstappen to take pole for Australian Grand Prix

Championship leader Charles Leclerc will start Sunday's Australia Grand Prix on pole position after edging out rival Max Verstappen.

After the first two races, the Ferrari driver holds a 12-point lead at the top of the standings, and he has gained an edge over the chasing pack by securing a spot at the front of the grid.

In a final session which was stopped at one stage due to a crash involving Fernando Alonso, Leclerc looked like starting behind Verstappen after the Dutchman's final hot lap.

However, Leclerc found the speed to produce a lap of his own which was 0.286 seconds faster, relegating Verstappen into second position.

Verstappen's Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez will start in third, with McLaren's Lando Norris qualifying in an excellent fourth.

The Mercedes pairing of Lewis Hamilton and George Russell are fifth and sixth respectively, but Ferrari's Carlos Sainz Jnr is down in ninth place.