BELGIAN GP – Max Verstappen fastest in qualifying but gearbox change gives Charles Leclerc pole
Max Verstappen was fastest in qualifying for the Belgian Grand Prix after beating Charles Leclerc by eight tenths of a second. The Red Bull driver pulled out a stunning final lap on a drying track to top the final part of Grand Prix qualifying, however will start sixth because of a gearbox change.
The two-time champion bounced back from a near Q2 knock out to top qualifying with his final run as he goes into one of his home Grands Prix looking for his seventh win in a row and for a third year in a row win both his home races back-to-back.
Goin into the final runs in Q3 it appeared all to play for the drying circuit was seeing rapid evolution in lap times as driver switched to softs. But that didn’t stop Verstappen from topping the session ahead of Leclerc and his Ferrari teammate Carlos Sainz. Leclerc on his final attempt edged out Sergio Perez to spilt the Red Bulls after going half a tenth faster.
Earlier in the session Leclerc had to fight his way out of Q1, as the session saw him in sixteenth during the closing run. This season the Monacan has struggled to show his single lap pace but qualifying was a reminder of his talent by topping Verstappen in the opening Q3 runs.
Meanwhile, Mercedes looked to be unable to compete as Lewis Hamilton and George Russell struggled to match McLaren and Ferrari on the soft tyres. But both drivers been called to the stewards for a collision between the two Mercedes
Hamilton put his Mercedes fourth going ahead of Sainz by Four hundredths. The seven time champion took advantage of the conditions to jump up the order, that despite the two McLaren’s appearing to be the faster cars. Oscar Piastri beating Lando Norris by three tenths, despite the British-Belgian driver normally excelling in changeable conditions.
But the late improvement by Hamilton moved him ahead of oF both Ferrari’s and McLaren Aston Martin’s mid season drop in form continued Fernando Alonso ninth ahead of teammate Lance Stroll by nearly a second.
McLaren’s up turn in form put them ahead of Mercedes,
Spa’s famous climatic conditions had dominated the build up following a very wet practice session, which resulted in limited running. ThE clouds remained but the rain stayed away, that allowed the track to dry through out qualifying leading to times getting faster and faster.
It soon became clear it would be a volatile Q1 Leclerc nearly being the biggest casualty before his final run saw him go fastest. Verstappen himself would be in the same position at the end of Q2, a marginal switch saw him go to dry tyres to get himself through.
More rain is expected for Saturday’s Sprint double, but a currently dry forecast for Sunday would suggest Red Bull have every chance of setting a new record for the most consecutive wins within a season.
Though as Esteban Ocon proved on his flying lap, the Alpine driver bringing out the red flag hitting the wall at Corner With No Name, that left him tenth. But neither Pierre Gasly or Kevin Magnussen could improve in the final moments leaving Gasly half a second ahead of the Haas.
Yuki Tsunoda had briefly topped Q2, but as everyone behind him improved, found himself shuffled out of the final part of qualifying. As was also the case for Gasly and Ocon, as the session became increasingly about being on trac at the right time.
Valtteri Bottas put his Alfa Romeo fourteenth ahead of Ocon, as Alpine had a very difficult Friday off track following the sacking of team principal Otmar Szafnauer and sporting director Alan Permane, and the departure chief technical officer Pat Fry to Williams.
Leclerc’s improvement at the end of Q1 saw Alex Albon pushed out, he had also made an error going wide at the exit of Les Combe (Turn Nine), and is under investigation for an unsafe rejoin. Guanyu Zhou also couldn’t improve spitting the Williams, half a second behind Albon and seven-tenths faster than Logan Sargeant.
Daniel Ricciardo was left nineteenth, in his second qualifying of the year he had done enough on his last run in Q1 to get out of the drop zone. However, the Australian’s best lap was deleted for going beyond track limits at Raidillon.
Nico Hulkenberg was unable to do a final run in Q1, while Haas did manage to get him back out, it wasn’t in time to start a final run before the chequered flag dropped.