Valtteri Bottas took pole position for the Eifel Grand Prix in a fight with Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen.

It was the closest Mercedes have come to being beaten in qualifying this year but Verstappen slipped back to third.

Charles Leclerc took fourth for Ferrari to equal their best 2020 grid position.

Bottas’ lap brought to an end a run of five poles in a row for Hamilton.

“It’s such a nice feeling when you get it on the last lap and that was pretty much spot on,” Bottas said.

Hamilton said: “He did a great job, so congrats to him. There’s a lot to play for tomorrow.”

Verstappen said: “In Q3 when it really mattered I started understeering too much which cost me a bit of lap time. We are getting closer towards Mercedes, which is positive. A little bit disappointed, I was expecting a little more but I can still be happy.”