Lando Norris took pole around Spa-Francorchamps, beating teammate, Oscar Piastri and Charles Leclerc to the top of the timing sheets for the Belgian GP.
After Max Verstappen’s defensive tactical sprint win earlier this morning, all eyes were on the Red Bull to see if he could do a repeat. For McLarens the goal was to fend off the Red Bull, hoping to take a front row lock out.
As the light when green at the end of the pit lane, cars began to make their way out onto track. However, before even leaving the pit lane, Nico Hülkenberg made contact with Lance Stroll as the Sauber edged out onto the fast lane.
Hülkenberg needed a new front wing and Lance stroll abandoned his first lap, diving into the pits to check his car.
Q1
Oscar Piastri put in the first flying lap of the session, crossing the line with a 1:41.998 with Lando Norris slipping into P2 with a 1:42.076.
However, as has happened throughout the weekend, Max Verstappen split the two McLarens, with a 1:42.066. Yet the times were falling as the mid-field embarked on their first flying laps, Liam Lawson going fastest, followed by Sainz with a 1:41.691.
Alex Albon and Ollie Bearman also found themselves in the top five, the track progression once again showing. Charles Leclerc went to the top of the timing sheets, a 1:41.635 just 0.056 ahead of Carlos Sainz, while his teammate was in sixth, three tenths off.
With a mix of new and used tyres the order was bound to change. McLaren finally put on a set of new soft tyres, both drivers embarking on their next flying laps. Lando Norris was the first driver to cross the line taking P1 with a 1:41.010 and Oscar Piastri followed behind just 0.191 off Norris’ time.
Charles Leclerc went on another lap, his Ferrari still looking difficult to drive, as the Monégasque crossed the line in third with a 1:41.635. But the final few were crossing the line for their last chances to make it through to Q2.
Isack Hadjar and Ollie Bearman both made their way to the top five a Hamilton slipped into the danger zone, but Hamilton put in a personal best middle sector as the Ferrari crossed the line and finished seventh.
But disaster for Hamilton as the Ferrari driver has his lap time deleted, dropping to 16th and out of Q1.
Out in Q1:
16. L. Hamilton
17. F. Colapinto
18. K. Antonelli
19. F. Alonso
20. L. Stroll
Q2
With the track progression likely to continue, some teams made the effort to time their garage exits. The McLarens and the Red Bulls not opting to waste any time. Verstappen was the first driver of the front-runners to put in a flying lap, with a time of 1:40.951.
However, just slightly further back down the circuit, the McLaren duo were flying with purple sectors for both. Norris went to P1 but was quickly moved to P2 as Oscar Piastri took P1 by just 0.089.
Max Verstappen slipped into third with a 1:40.951 and Charles Leclerc into fourth. Leclerc admitted after his lap that it was all he thought he had in the car, despite being four tenths off the lead.
With just over a minute left in the session, everyone but Max Verstappen left the pits. Verstappen hoping his time of a 1:40.951 was enough to carry him through to Q3. Bearman who had done a decent lap time, saw his time deleted, plummeting to the bottom of the order.
The Brit needing a strong final lap to get to Q3. Isack Hadjar moved up to sixth as he came across the line, as Bortoleto moved into ninth. Hülkenberg fought for a Q3 appearance but missed out only going fast enough for 14th.
Esteban Ocon had a personal best in sector one but barely misses out on Q3, slotting in 11th. Bearman only made it fast enough for 12th, but he quickly got on the radio complaining about the traffic, the frustration clear.
Out in Q2:
11. E. Ocon
12. O. Bearman
13. P. Gasly
14. N. Hülkenberg
15. C. Sainz
Q3
For the final stages of qualifying, Verstappen led the field around Spa-Francorchamps. The Red Bull driver charging around the track. The McLaren duo were not far behind the Dutchman, but Verstappen crossed the line with a 1:41.078.
Yet Piastri crossed the line with a 1:40.751, Norris just seconds behind, putting in a 1:40.562 going fastest overall. Charles Leclerc slid into fourth, but seven tenths off the front-runners.
With the battle between the McLarens heating up, there are questions over which one will end up on top this weekend with Piastri having the edge until now.
Max Verstappen was the first driver to head out on his final push lap, with Norris behind and Piastri and Leclerc a way back. With the track evolution that has been seen this weekend it was unknown if it was going to be an advantage going later.
Verstappens lap was scrappy only managing a lap three tenths off his previous lap. Charles Leclerc, managed to place his SF-25 third, a strong effort for the Monégasque moving ahead of Verstappen.
However, both McLarens failed to improve with Piastri falling short of Norris. Piastri crossing the line in second and Norris taking pole.
Full Results:
- L. Norris
- O. Piastri
- C. Leclerc
- M. Verstappen
- A. Albon
- G. Russell
- Y. Tsunoda
- I. Hadjar
- L. Lawson
- G. Bortoleto
- E. Ocon
- O. Bearman
- P. Gasly
- N. Hülkenberg
- C. Sainz
- L. Hamilton
- F. Colapinto
- K. Antonelli
- F. Alonso
- L. Stroll
