Verstappen quickest, but Charles Leclerc secures sensational pole position at Spa
Reigning world champion Max Verstappen set the benchmark in the qualifying session at the Belgian Grand Prix, but with a ten-place grid penalty for the Dutchman, Ferrari's Charles Leclerc will start the Spa F1 round from pole position. F1Technical's lead journalist Balázs Szabó reports on the nail-biting qualifying session.
Piastri tops first segment - Q1
After rain limited running in the third and final practice hour earlier in the day, the track remained wet as qualifying approached at Spa-Francorchamps. Showers were not forecast to return until the end of the session, but the weather still posed something of an unknown factor.
Although conditions were tricky, there was no significant incident in the opening part of qualifying with all drivers opting for the green-walled intermediates for the opening eighteen minutes of running.
The Haas pair of Nico Hulkenberg and Kevin Magnussen had a disappointing day, having both exited in Q1 in 16th and 17th.
While Yuki Tsunoda was also eliminated in 18th, the RB driver had already been set to start from the back due to an engine penalty.
Logan Sargeant ended the day down in P19 for Williams, while the Kick Sauber of Zhou Guanyu followed in 20th place.
Knocked out: Nico Hulkenberg, Kevin Magnussen, Yuki Tsunoda, Logan Sargeant and Zhou Guanyu.Late improvements - Q2
Rain was predicted to arrive in the middle part of qualifying, but bar a light drizzle, drivers managed to find more grip in the constantly drying conditions.
Several top drivers were in danger in Q2 with the Ferrari pairing of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz and Red Bull’s Sergio Perez having found themselves on the cusp of getting knocked out. However, the Spaniard and Monagasque delivered a late lap to make the cut into Q3.
The Mexican driver just made it through into Q3, but it was a big relief after his series of disappointing results.
Williams driver Alex Albon only narrowly missed out on Q3 by just three thousandths of a second in the Williams, putting him in P11, and a disappointed Pierre Gasly followed for Alpine in P12.
Although he looked to be in contention for a spot in Q3, Daniel Ricciardo took 13th place in the RB, putting him ahead of Kick Sauber’s Valtteri Bottas in 14th and Lance Stroll – whose Aston Martin was repaired in time to participate after his FP3 crash – in 15th.
Knocked out: Alexander Albon, Pierre Gasly, Daniel Ricciardo, Valtteri Bottas, Lance Stroll.Leclerc surprises - Q3
The last qualifying segment took place in similar conditions to the previous two segment with light drizzle disrupting the running at its mid-point.
Red Bull and Ferrari went for a different approach, sending out their drivers out for a banker lap before calling him in for a new set of intermediates.
Max Verstappen set the best lap with a 1m53.159s, but he will line up only in P11 due to his ten-place grid drop penalty.
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc did not look in contention for pole position, but a late push lap on fresh intermediates saw the Monegasque jump up the order to second which will convert to the first starting position tomorrow.
Sergio Perez took third for Red Bull, from Lewis Hamilton in P4. The McLarens of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri took fifth and sixth respectively after appearing to look pace in the challenging damp conditions.
George Russell set the seventh quickest lap time, from Carlos Sainz in P8 while Fernando Alonso and Esteban Ocon rounded out the top ten.
