F1 Belgian GP qualifying results: Leclerc inherits pole from Verstappen

Max Verstappen set the fastest time in qualifying for Formula 1's Belgian Grand Prix, but will start 11th due to a grid penalty that elevates Charles Leclerc to pole position.

Ferrari’s Leclerc will be joined on the front row by Red Bull’s Sergio Perez, while Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes set the third fastest time in the decisive Q3 segment as McLaren proved disappointing in the final part of the one-hour qualifying session.

Belgian Grand Prix grid: Leclerc on pole from Perez

Cla	Nº	Driver	Car / Engine	Time	Delay
1	16	Charles Leclerc	Ferrari	1'53.754
2	11	Sergio Pérez	Red Bull/Honda RBPT	1'53.765	0.011
3	44	Lewis Hamilton	Mercedes	1'53.835	0.081
4	4	Lando Norris	McLaren/Mercedes	1'53.981	0.227
5	81	Oscar Piastri	McLaren/Mercedes	1'54.027	0.273
6	63	George Russell	Mercedes	1'54.184	0.430
7	55	Carlos Sainz	Ferrari	1'54.477	0.723
8	14	Fernando Alonso	Aston Martin/Mercedes	1'54.765	1.011
9	31	Esteban Ocon	Alpine/Renault	1'54.810	1.056
10	23	Alexander Albon	Williams/Mercedes	1'54.473	0.719
11	1	Max Verstappen	Red Bull/Honda RBPT	1'53.159	-0.595
12	10	Pierre Gasly	Alpine/Renault	1'54.635	0.881
13	3	Daniel Ricciardo	RB/Honda RBPT	1'54.682	0.928
14	77	Valtteri Bottas	Sauber/Ferrari	1'54.764	1.010
15	18	Lance Stroll	Aston Martin/Mercedes	1'55.716	1.962
16	27	Nico Hülkenberg	Haas/Ferrari	1'56.308	2.554
17	20	Kevin Magnussen	Haas/Ferrari	1'56.500	2.746
18	2	Logan Sargeant	Williams/Mercedes	1'57.230	3.476
19	24	Zhou Guanyu	Sauber/Ferrari	1'57.775	4.021
20	22	Yuki Tsunoda	RB/Honda RBPT	1'56.593	2.839

What happened in Belgian Grand Prix Q1?

On a wet track, but with more rain forecast, teams were keen to get their drivers on track right from the start of the session.

On intermediate tyres, McLaren's Oscar Piastri set the benchmark at 1m57.411s on his opening flyer, but Verstappen blew that away with 1m56.003s.

Oscar Piastri, McLaren MCL38 (Photo by: Sam Bagnall / Motorsport Images)

Piastri stayed out as the track dried, working down to 1m55.549s to retake P1 with six minutes remaining before Verstappen reclaimed the top spot with 1m54.938s.

Piastri wasn’t to be denied, however, setting 1m54.835s on a second set of inters for his final run, 0.076s ahead of an impressive Pierre Gasly for Alpine and a tenth clear of Verstappen.

Falling at the first hurdle were the Haas duo of Nico Hulkenberg and Kevin Magnussen, Yuki Tsunoda (RB – who will start from the back of the grid anyway due to penalties for taking an all-new engine), Logan Sargeant (Williams) and Zhou Guanyu (Sauber).

Belgian GP Q1 results: Piastri fastest from Gasly

Cla	Nº	Driver	Car / Engine	Time	Delay	Laps
1	81	Oscar Piastri	McLaren/Mercedes	1'54.835		9
2	10	Pierre Gasly	Alpine/Renault	1'54.911	0.076	9
3	1	Max Verstappen	Red Bull/Honda RBPT	1'54.938	0.103	8
4	11	Sergio Pérez	Red Bull/Honda RBPT	1'55.139	0.304	9
5	55	Carlos Sainz	Ferrari	1'55.169	0.334	9
6	16	Charles Leclerc	Ferrari	1'55.349	0.514	8
7	63	George Russell	Mercedes	1'55.353	0.518	8
8	31	Esteban Ocon	Alpine/Renault	1'55.417	0.582	9
9	3	Daniel Ricciardo	RB/Honda RBPT	1'55.451	0.616	8
10	14	Fernando Alonso	Aston Martin/Mercedes	1'55.489	0.654	9
11	77	Valtteri Bottas	Sauber/Ferrari	1'55.531	0.696	9
12	4	Lando Norris	McLaren/Mercedes	1'55.582	0.747	10
13	44	Lewis Hamilton	Mercedes	1'55.692	0.857	8
14	23	Alexander Albon	Williams/Mercedes	1'55.722	0.887	9
15	18	Lance Stroll	Aston Martin/Mercedes	1'56.072	1.237	9
16	27	Nico Hülkenberg	Haas/Ferrari	1'56.308	1.473	9
17	20	Kevin Magnussen	Haas/Ferrari	1'56.500	1.665	9
18	22	Yuki Tsunoda	RB/Honda RBPT	1'56.593	1.758	8
19	2	Logan Sargeant	Williams/Mercedes	1'57.230	2.395	8
20	24	Zhou Guanyu	Sauber/Ferrari	1'57.775	2.940	9

What happened in Belgian Grand Prix Q2?

Still on intermediates due to steady drizzle, Verstappen set the pace at 1m53.857s on his first flying lap, despite a snap of oversteer at Stavelot. Hamilton got within two tenths a second of him for P2 on a late flying lap.

Alex Albon, Williams FW46 (Photo by: Steven Tee / Motorsport Images)

Knocked out at this point were Alex Albon (Williams), Pierre Gasly (Alpine), Daniel Ricciardo (RB), Valtteri Bottas (Sauber) and Lance Stroll (Aston Martin).

Belgian GP Q2 results: Verstappen fastest from Hamilton

Cla	Nº	Driver	Car / Engine	Time	Delay	Laps
1	1	Max Verstappen	Red Bull/Honda RBPT	1'53.837		7
2	44	Lewis Hamilton	Mercedes	1'54.037	0.200	8
3	63	George Russell	Mercedes	1'54.095	0.258	8
4	55	Carlos Sainz	Ferrari	1'54.112	0.275	8
5	81	Oscar Piastri	McLaren/Mercedes	1'54.136	0.299	7
6	16	Charles Leclerc	Ferrari	1'54.193	0.356	8
7	14	Fernando Alonso	Aston Martin/Mercedes	1'54.258	0.421	8
8	4	Lando Norris	McLaren/Mercedes	1'54.358	0.521	8
9	31	Esteban Ocon	Alpine/Renault	1'54.460	0.623	8
10	11	Sergio Pérez	Red Bull/Honda RBPT	1'54.470	0.633	7
11	23	Alexander Albon	Williams/Mercedes	1'54.473	0.636	7
12	10	Pierre Gasly	Alpine/Renault	1'54.635	0.798	8
13	3	Daniel Ricciardo	RB/Honda RBPT	1'54.682	0.845	6
14	77	Valtteri Bottas	Sauber/Ferrari	1'54.764	0.927	8
15	18	Lance Stroll	Aston Martin/Mercedes	1'55.716	1.879	8

What happened in Belgian Grand Prix Q3?

On the first runs, Verstappen unleashed 1m53.159s, six tenths clear of the rest led by his team-mate Perez and eight tenths ahead of Hamilton.

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB20 (Photo by: Steven Tee / Motorsport Images)

On the final runs, Leclerc saved his final set of fresh inters for the closing moments and jumped to second from P8. Verstappen failed to improve on his final run.

Leclerc was 0.595s slower than Verstappen but a hundredth faster than Perez, who will start from the outside of the front row.

Hamilton will start third, ahead of Lando Norris (McLaren), Piastri, George Russell (Mercedes), Carlos Sainz (Ferrari), Fernando Alonso (Aston) and Esteban Ocon (Alpine).

Belgian GP Q3 results: Verstappen fastest but Leclerc gets pole

Cla	Nº	Driver	Car / Engine	Time	Delay	Laps
1	1	Max Verstappen	Red Bull/Honda RBPT	1'53.159		6
2	16	Charles Leclerc	Ferrari	1'53.754	0.595	6
3	11	Sergio Pérez	Red Bull/Honda RBPT	1'53.765	0.606	5
4	44	Lewis Hamilton	Mercedes	1'53.835	0.676	6
5	4	Lando Norris	McLaren/Mercedes	1'53.981	0.822	6
6	81	Oscar Piastri	McLaren/Mercedes	1'54.027	0.868	7
7	63	George Russell	Mercedes	1'54.184	1.025	6
8	55	Carlos Sainz	Ferrari	1'54.477	1.318	6
9	14	Fernando Alonso	Aston Martin/Mercedes	1'54.765	1.606	6
10	31	Esteban Ocon	Alpine/Renault	1'54.810	1.651	6