Max Verstappen may have qualified on pole for the Belgian Grand Prix, but a grid penalty means he’ll be starting from the 11th position. This unexpected twist has thrust Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc into the prime spot on the starting grid.
Leclerc is now set to lead the race, with Red Bull’s Sergio Pérez and Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton joining him at the front. The session was a rollercoaster, with changing weather conditions adding to the drama.
In Q1, McLaren’s Oscar Piastri initially set the pace on a damp track, but Verstappen quickly claimed the top spot. As the track dried, Piastri fought back, clocking in an impressive 1m54.835s to lead the pack. Verstappen and Alpine’s Pierre Gasly trailed closely, while several drivers, including the Haas duo and Zhou Guanyu, were knocked out early.
Q2 saw Verstappen dominate again despite drizzle making the track tricky. His time of 1m53.857s kept him ahead of Hamilton, who managed to close the gap to two-tenths of a second. Sadly, this session was the end of the road for Alex Albon, Pierre Gasly, Daniel Ricciardo, Valtteri Bottas, and Lance Stroll.
The final shootout in Q3 had Verstappen setting the early benchmark at 1m53.159s. However, with his grid penalty in mind, Leclerc reserved his final burst for the last moments, securing a close second, just 0.595s behind Verstappen. Pérez will line up alongside Leclerc after finishing a mere hundredth of a second slower than him.
Hamilton will start third, with Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri of McLaren filling the fourth and fifth spots. George Russell, Carlos Sainz, Fernando Alonso, and Esteban Ocon round out the top ten starters for the race.
Verstappen’s penalty has certainly shaken up the grid, offering Leclerc a golden opportunity. The Red Bull driver will have to weave his way up from the middle of the pack, promising an exhilarating race filled with overtakes and strategic plays.
With an unexpected grid shake-up, the Belgian Grand Prix promises to be a thrilling spectacle. Leclerc’s inherited pole position sets the stage for an intense competition as drivers vie for dominance.
