Stop-start rain and cool tyre temperatures led to a crash-strewn session that was finally abandoned with 40s remaining on the clock after Lando Norris hit the wall in Q3.
That prevented a final one-lap shootout for first on the grid for the Saturday sprint contest, which left Verstappen atop the times ahead of Leclerc, Norris and Kevin Magnussen.
On his second and crucial lap on intermediate tyres in Q3, despite a yellow flag for a stricken Valtteri Bottas, the Red Bull driver posted a 1m27.999s to move ahead of Leclerc.
The defending champion was quick to confirm he had lifted off and his lap time remained on the board despite the yellow, which soon developed into a red.
That move to back off proved critical when the session resumed only for Norris to crash in what had looked to be a three-minute final run to decide top spot.
Before anyone had set a time in Q3, had brought out a brief red flag after a wet-dry track caught the Haas driver out in the more treacherous second half of the lap.
He lost the rear of the car at the second entry of Acque Minerali and spun across the gravel but kept the rears spinning to eventually rejoin, but not before the session was halted.
Alonso was ready at the end of the pitlane when Q3 resumed after a five-minute delay, the Alpine driver then fighting the car and slithering off the road at Acque Minerali.
Perez and Verstappen aborted the second apex at Tamburello, the Red Bull duo both locking the front-left to run over the gravel as Leclerc set the initial pace with his 1m28.788s effort.
Verstappen soon crossed over the timing line just 0.02s adrift as he comfortably kept Norris at bay before running for another 1m27.999s flying lap that stormed to provisional pole.
The Red Bull driver was quick to confirm over team radio that he had still backed off considerably and changed down a gear to account for a yellow flag in the final sector.
That caution then morphed into another red flag in response to Valtteri Bottas parking up in…
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