Piastri Dominates Sprint Qualifying at Spa-Francorchamps
Oscar Piastri secured the top spot in Sprint qualifying for the Belgian Grand Prix, showcasing a commanding performance at Spa-Francorchamps. The McLaren driver clocked a lap time that left him nearly half a second ahead of reigning champion Max Verstappen and 0.6 seconds clear of teammate Lando Norris.
McLaren’s strategic choice of a higher downforce setup proved effective, enhancing cornering speed in the middle sector but sacrificing some top speed in the first and last sectors. Piastri’s approach paid dividends, as he expressed confidence in his car’s handling and pace throughout the session.
“It was a good lap,” Piastri remarked. “After a scare in SQ2 with the track limits at Raidillon, I felt the car was mega all day. This is a track I love, and it might have given me a couple of extra tenths.” He highlighted the importance of the car’s consistency, emphasizing that his confidence had been building over the past few weekends, despite previous challenges in achieving results.
While McLaren excelled in grip through the corners, Red Bull’s strategy differed, featuring increased speed in the first and third sectors, which could pose a threat at the start of the Sprint. Piastri acknowledged this, stating, “I need to go and look. The Red Bulls were very quick in a straight line in practice — I don’t know if that was the same in Sprint qualifying. But Spa is probably the worst track to have pole position at, so let’s see.”
As the grid is set for the Sprint race on Saturday, Piastri’s performance illustrates a notable uptick in McLaren’s competitiveness. The outcome will be pivotal as the team looks to translate strong qualifying into race-day success.
