Belgian Grand Prix Qualifying Report
Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium – Lando Norris secured pole position for the Belgian Grand Prix, narrowly edging out McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri despite failing to improve on his final flying lap. Norris clocked a time of 1:40.562, finishing 0.085 seconds ahead of Piastri after a tense qualifying session marked by fluctuating track conditions.
Norris set the tone early, leading after the first runs with a significant 0.189s advantage over Piastri. As the session progressed into Q3, increasing temperatures affected grip levels, complicating the quest for faster times. Norris failed to enhance his split times on his last lap, while Piastri managed personal bests in the first two sectors but faltered in the final split, leaving him second.
“I was confident today, and it was nice to see I could get back to the top,” Norris stated, reflecting on his performance after a disappointing Sprint qualifying finish on Friday. Piastri, humorously lamenting his missed opportunity, commented, “The second lap was coming together really well, but I made a mistake into Turn 14 and lost a lot of time.”
In a notable performance, Charles Leclerc claimed third place for Ferrari, 0.338 seconds off pole, crediting a refined upgrade package for the improved performance. "I did not expect to be this close. It was a really good lap," Leclerc remarked.
Max Verstappen, the earlier Sprint winner, qualified fourth, hindered by a limited supply of fresh soft tires, while Alex Albon achieved a season-best fifth for Williams, ahead of George Russell in sixth.
Yuki Tsunoda qualified seventh for Red Bull, marking his best performance of the season. The Racing Bulls’ Isack Hadjar and Liam Lawson followed in eighth and ninth, respectively, with Gabriel Bortoleto rounding out the top ten for Sauber.
Notably, Lewis Hamilton faced a challenging session, finishing 16th after having a lap time deleted for exceeding track limits, marking his first Q1 exit of the season. Aston Martin teammates Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll suffered a double Q1 elimination, reflective of a downturn in the team’s momentum.
Qualifying Results Summary
- Lando Norris (McLaren) – 1:40.562
- Oscar Piastri (McLaren) – +0.085s
- Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) – +0.338s
- Max Verstappen (Red Bull) – +0.341s
- Alex Albon (Williams) – +0.698s
- George Russell (Mercedes) – Time not disclosed
- Yuki Tsunoda (Red Bull) – Time not disclosed
- Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls) – Time not disclosed
- Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls) – Time not disclosed
- Gabriel Bortoleto (Sauber) – Time not disclosed
This outcomes sets the stage for an exciting race weekend as teams adjust to their respective strategies and vehicle performance dynamics at the iconic Spa-Francorchamps circuit.
