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Charles Bradley

F1 qualifying results: Leclerc to start Belgian GP from pole after Verstappen penalty

Mercedes Ferrari Red Bull Max Verstappen M Verstappen Lando Norris McLaren (Person) Oscar Piastri McLaren Charles Leclerc C Leclerc Sergio Perez

Leclerc will start ahead of Sergio Perez (Red Bull) and Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) after the one-hour qualifying session, which is split into three segments with five cars each being knocked out in Q1 and Q2 before the top 10 shootout of Q3.

As this is a sprint weekend format, these sessions set the grid for Sunday’s race and have no impact on Saturday’s sprint event.

Verstappen got his five-place grid penalty for taking a fifth gearbox.

Belgian GP qualifying results: Leclerc on pole

 
 
     
Driver Info
 
 
 
   
Cla Driver # Chassis Engine Time km/h
1 Monaco C. Leclerc Charles Leclerc Ferrari 16 Ferrari Ferrari 1'46.988 235.675
2 Mexico S. Perez Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing 11 Red Bull Red Bull +0.057 235.549
3 United Kingdom L. Hamilton Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 44 Mercedes Mercedes +0.099 235.457
4 Spain C. Sainz Carlos Sainz Ferrari 55 Ferrari Ferrari +0.164 235.314
5 Australia O. Piastri Oscar Piastri McLaren 81 McLaren Mercedes +0.377 234.847
6 Netherlands M. Verstappen Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 1 Red Bull Red Bull 1'46.168 237.495
7 United Kingdom L. Norris Lando Norris McLaren 4 McLaren Mercedes +0.681 234.184
8 United Kingdom G. Russell George Russell Mercedes 63 Mercedes Mercedes +0.817 233.888
9 Spain F. Alonso Fernando Alonso Aston Martin Racing 14 Aston Martin Mercedes +0.855 233.806
10 Canada L. Stroll Lance Stroll Aston Martin Racing 18 Aston Martin Mercedes +1.853 231.662
11 Japan Y. Tsunoda Yuki Tsunoda AlphaTauri 22 AlphaTauri Red Bull +6.160 222.844
12 France P. Gasly Pierre Gasly Alpine 10 Alpine Renault +6.683 221.819
13 Denmark K. Magnussen Kevin Magnussen Haas F1 Team 20 Haas Ferrari +7.172 220.868
14 Finland V. Bottas Valtteri Bottas Alfa Romeo 77 Alfa Romeo Ferrari +7.706 219.840
15 France E. Ocon Esteban Ocon Alpine 31 Alpine Renault +9.384 216.670
16 Thailand A. Albon Alex Albon Williams 23 Williams Mercedes +13.326 209.571
17 China Z. Guanyu Zhou Guanyu Alfa Romeo 24 Alfa Romeo Ferrari +13.844 208.673
18 United States L. Sargeant Logan Sargeant Williams 2 Williams Mercedes +14.547 207.466
19 Australia D. Ricciardo Daniel Ricciardo AlphaTauri 3 AlphaTauri Red Bull +15.171 206.406
20 Germany N. Hulkenberg Nico Hulkenberg Haas F1 Team 27 Haas Ferrari +16.178 204.718
View full results  

What happened in Belgian GP Q1?

After a 10-minute delay to allow standing water to drain from a soaked track surface, the session started in bright sunshine with everyone on intermediate tyres.

Carlos Sainz set the early pace at 2m00.536s after 10 minutes, before Verstappen beat that with 1m58.932s. As the conditions improved, Hamilton took first with 1m58.841s before Verstappen grabbed it back with 1m58.515s and Leclerc topped everyone with 1m58.300s.

Lando Norris (McLaren) took a trip through the gravel trap on the exit of Stavelot but made it thought.

Falling at the first hurdle were, Alex Albon (Williams), Zhou Guanyu (Alfa Romeo), Logan Sargeant (Williams), Daniel Ricciardo (AlphaTauri, who had a faster lap time deleted for exceeding track limits) and Nico Hulkenberg (whose Haas was delayed by a hydraulic problem and he missed his final lap).

Belgian GP Grand Prix Q1 results: Leclerc fastest from Verstappen

 
 
       
Driver Info
 
 
 
   
Cla Driver # Chassis Engine Laps Time Interval km/h
1 Monaco C. Leclerc Charles Leclerc Ferrari 16 Ferrari Ferrari 9 1'58.300   213.139
2 Netherlands M. Verstappen Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 1 Red Bull Red Bull 8 +0.215 0.215 212.752
3 United Kingdom L. Hamilton Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 44 Mercedes Mercedes 9 +0.263 0.048 212.666
4 Spain C. Sainz Carlos Sainz Ferrari 55 Ferrari Ferrari 9 +0.388 0.125 212.442
5 Spain F. Alonso Fernando Alonso Aston Martin Racing 14 Aston Martin Mercedes 8 +0.534 0.146 212.181
6 Australia O. Piastri Oscar Piastri McLaren 81 McLaren Mercedes 9 +0.572 0.038 212.113
7 Mexico S. Perez Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing 11 Red Bull Red Bull 8 +0.599 0.027 212.065
8 United Kingdom G. Russell George Russell Mercedes 63 Mercedes Mercedes 9 +0.735 0.136 211.823
9 Japan Y. Tsunoda Yuki Tsunoda AlphaTauri 22 AlphaTauri Red Bull 8 +0.744 0.009 211.807
10 Finland V. Bottas Valtteri Bottas Alfa Romeo 77 Alfa Romeo Ferrari 9 +1.184 0.440 211.027
11 France P. Gasly Pierre Gasly Alpine 10 Alpine Renault 9 +1.211 0.027 210.979
12 France E. Ocon Esteban Ocon Alpine 31 Alpine Renault 8 +1.334 0.123 210.762
13 Canada L. Stroll Lance Stroll Aston Martin Racing 18 Aston Martin Mercedes 8 +1.363 0.029 210.711
14 United Kingdom L. Norris Lando Norris McLaren 4 McLaren Mercedes 8 +1.681 0.318 210.153
15 Denmark K. Magnussen Kevin Magnussen Haas F1 Team 20 Haas Ferrari 9 +1.720 0.039 210.084
16 Thailand A. Albon Alex Albon Williams 23 Williams Mercedes 8 +2.014 0.294 209.571
17 China Z. Guanyu Zhou Guanyu Alfa Romeo 24 Alfa Romeo Ferrari 9 +2.532 0.518 208.673
18 United States L. Sargeant Logan Sargeant Williams 2 Williams Mercedes 6 +3.235 0.703 207.466
19 Australia D. Ricciardo Daniel Ricciardo AlphaTauri 3 AlphaTauri Red Bull 8 +3.859 0.624 206.406
20 Germany N. Hulkenberg Nico Hulkenberg Haas F1 Team 27 Haas Ferrari 5 +4.866 1.007 204.718
View full results  

What happened in Belgian GP Q2?

Verstappen set the initial pace on intermediate tyres at 1m55.535s before teams switched to slicks for the final runs.

Perez set the first slick fastest lap with 1m55.151s, which was soon wrested away by George Russell (Mercedes), Norris, Yuki Tsunoda (AlphaTauri) and Oscar Piastri (McLaren) as the track dried quickly. Verstappen almost got knocked out when he ran wide at Turn 9.

Knocked out at this point were Tsunoda, who went from first to 11th in just over 90s, Pierre Gasly (Alpine), Kevin Magnussen (Haas), Valtteri Bottas (Alfa) and Esteban Ocon (Alpine) hit the wall and broke his front wing after sliding off at Jacky Ickx Corner.

Belgian GP Grand Prix Q2 results: Piastri fastest from Sainz

 
 
       
Driver Info
 
 
 
   
Cla Driver # Chassis Engine Laps Time Interval km/h
1 Australia O. Piastri Oscar Piastri McLaren 81 McLaren Mercedes 8 1'51.534   226.069
2 Spain C. Sainz Carlos Sainz Ferrari 55 Ferrari Ferrari 8 +0.177 0.177 225.710
3 Monaco C. Leclerc Charles Leclerc Ferrari 16 Ferrari Ferrari 8 +0.483 0.306 225.094
4 Canada L. Stroll Lance Stroll Aston Martin Racing 18 Aston Martin Mercedes 8 +0.659 0.176 224.741
5 United Kingdom L. Norris Lando Norris McLaren 4 McLaren Mercedes 7 +0.718 0.059 224.623
6 United Kingdom L. Hamilton Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 44 Mercedes Mercedes 8 +0.811 0.093 224.437
7 Mexico S. Perez Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing 11 Red Bull Red Bull 8 +0.819 0.008 224.421
8 United Kingdom G. Russell George Russell Mercedes 63 Mercedes Mercedes 8 +1.071 0.252 223.919
9 Spain F. Alonso Fernando Alonso Aston Martin Racing 14 Aston Martin Mercedes 8 +1.217 0.146 223.629
10 Netherlands M. Verstappen Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 1 Red Bull Red Bull 8 +1.250 0.033 223.563
11 Japan Y. Tsunoda Yuki Tsunoda AlphaTauri 22 AlphaTauri Red Bull 7 +1.614 0.364 222.844
12 France P. Gasly Pierre Gasly Alpine 10 Alpine Renault 8 +2.137 0.523 221.819
13 Denmark K. Magnussen Kevin Magnussen Haas F1 Team 20 Haas Ferrari 8 +2.626 0.489 220.868
14 Finland V. Bottas Valtteri Bottas Alfa Romeo 77 Alfa Romeo Ferrari 8 +3.160 0.534 219.840
15 France E. Ocon Esteban Ocon Alpine 31 Alpine Renault 5 +4.838 1.678 216.670
View full results  

What happened in Belgian GP Q3?

On the first runs, with the track dry enough for DRS to be enabled, Leclerc set the pace at 1m47.931s, 0.128s faster than Verstappen.

On the final runs, Leclerc improved to 1m476.988s but Verstappen blew everyone out of the water with 1m46.168s, going faster by 0.82s. But he will slip back to start from the third row of the grid.

Leclerc will start ahead of Perez, Hamilton, Sainz, Piastri, Verstappen, Norris, Russell and the Aston Martins of Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll.

Belgian GP Q3 results: Verstappen fastest, Leclerc on pole

 
 
       
Driver Info
 
 
 
   
Cla Driver # Chassis Engine Laps Time Interval km/h
1 Netherlands M. Verstappen Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 1 Red Bull Red Bull 6 1'46.168   237.495
2 Monaco C. Leclerc Charles Leclerc Ferrari 16 Ferrari Ferrari 6 +0.820 0.820 235.675
3 Mexico S. Perez Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing 11 Red Bull Red Bull 6 +0.877 0.057 235.549
4 United Kingdom L. Hamilton Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 44 Mercedes Mercedes 7 +0.919 0.042 235.457
5 Spain C. Sainz Carlos Sainz Ferrari 55 Ferrari Ferrari 6 +0.984 0.065 235.314
6 Australia O. Piastri Oscar Piastri McLaren 81 McLaren Mercedes 6 +1.197 0.213 234.847
7 United Kingdom L. Norris Lando Norris McLaren 4 McLaren Mercedes 6 +1.501 0.304 234.184
8 United Kingdom G. Russell George Russell Mercedes 63 Mercedes Mercedes 7 +1.637 0.136 233.888
9 Spain F. Alonso Fernando Alonso Aston Martin Racing 14 Aston Martin Mercedes 6 +1.675 0.038 233.806
10 Canada L. Stroll Lance Stroll Aston Martin Racing 18 Aston Martin Mercedes 6 +2.673 0.998 231.662
View full results  
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