Max Verstappen set the quickest time in qualifying for the Belgian Grand Prix but Charles Leclerc will start from pole position.
For the second year in a row at Spa, Verstappen set the fastest time in Q3 but will drop positions on the grid because of a penalty.
Instead, Leclerc will take pole with Sergio Perez starting alongside him on the front row in second place, just as they did in 2023.
Q1
With the final practice session taking place in wet conditions, and the rain having increased in intensity since, resulting in the postponement of the F2 sprint race, it was little surprise that the track was still wet when the first phase of qualifying began.
Lando Norris won the race to the end of the pit lane at the start of the session as the entire field headed out on intermediate tyres. Norris’s first time of a 1’58.894 was comfortably beaten by team mate Oscar Piastri while Max Verstappen, running immediately in front of Norris, immediately leapt to the top of the times.
Despite more light rain falling over the circuit, it was not enough to make the conditions significantly worse, which allowed drivers to continue to improve. Both McLarens pitted for fresh intermediates but Verstappen remained out on used tyres, returning to the top of the times in the process.
In the closing moments, there was a mix of drivers who had pitted for fresh intermediates and those who had opted to remain out on track and have a better chance of reaching the timing line to start a final run. Although Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton were among many who got caught in traffic in the late run to the line, they both successfully made it through into Q2 without falling into the drop zone.
Once all cars had taken the chequered flag, the two Haas drivers of Nico Hulkenberg and Kevin Magnussen were eliminated in 16th and 17th, respectively. Yuki Tsunoda was also out in 18th, but will start at the back anyway due to his power unit change penalty.
Logan Sargeant failed to progress after locking up into La Source on his final attempt. Zhou Guanyu was the slowest driver knocked out, but will also have to visit the stewards after qualifying over an alleged impeding incident involving Verstappen passing through Blanchimont.
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Q1 result
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Q2
The track conditions had changed little as Q2 got underway. Many of those who had pitted for a second set of intermediate tyres at the end of Q1…
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