Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo has qualified fifth fastest for Formula One’s French Grand Prix, behind pole sitter Lewis Hamilton.

Hamilton produced a 1 minute 30.029 seconds lap and secured a record-extending 75th pole position to start alongside Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas on the grid for Sunday’s race.

Championship leader Sebastian Vettel of Ferrari will start the race from third, followed by Red Bull pair Max Verstappen and Ricciardo.

Charles Leclerc, 20, continued his impressive debut season by making the final shoot-out for the first time. He will start his Sauber in eighth.

F1 is returning to France for the first time in a decade and the Paul Ricard track is hosting its first elite race since 1990.

“Qualifying is always tough, but it feels great to be back in France,” said Hamilton. “It is such a brilliant place.

Defending champion Hamilton, who also topped both practice sessions on Friday, and teammate Bottas benefited from an engine upgrade that Mercedes had failed to roll out in the last round when Hamilton lost the lead to Vettel.

Hamilton trails Vettel, 121, by one point at the top of the standings heading into the race at the Paul Ricard Circuit.

Bottas is third on 86, with Ricciardo fourth on 84 and Kimi Raikkonen fifth as the battle for supremacy among the drivers hits fever pitch.

It was the third pole of the season for the 33-year-old Hamilton.