Belgium – Qualifications: Rosberg secures his fourth consecutive pole position!

The conditions are very cool for the start of this qualifying session. 9°C in the air, 21°C on track and 91% humidity are indicative of the heavy downpour that occurred 45 minutes before the start of the qualifying session.

Q1: At the green light, there is immediately some hustle on the track. Bottas, Ricciardo, Räikkönen, Alonso, Bianchi, Chilton, and others are out on intermediates. First time for Jules Bianchi’s Marussia at 2:16.474, quickly beaten by Bottas at 2:10.750. The conditions are difficult. Skids and slight off-track exits are frequent like Lewis Hamilton, who goes off in the last chicane but still sets the fastest time at 2:09.492. He improves immediately to 2:07.587, quickly followed by Nico Rosberg at 2:07.792. The first non-Mercedes, Daniel Ricciardo’s Red Bull, is three seconds behind! The session is already over for Esteban Gutiérrez, stopped on the track. The Mexican was, for the moment, qualified for Q2.

With four minutes remaining, Sergio Pérez is the only big name to be eliminated, as light rain is expected to fall in the coming minutes, Nico Rosberg is informed via radio. With two minutes left, Jules Bianchi records the tenth fastest time! Marussia might well make it to Q2. Pastor Maldonado goes all out and spins off the track at the last chicane. He still has one more attempt. Missed! Sutil snatches the last qualifying place in the very last moments. A notable victim: Nico Hülkenberg, who seems to have had some problems with the brake temperatures.

**Eliminated in Q1**: Maldonado, Hülkenberg, Chilton, Gutierrez, Lotterer, and Ericsson.

Q2: Romain Grosjean starts as a scout, with numerous wheel locks and other slides. 2:13.974 for the Frenchman, who sets the first time on the board. Time is running out for the drivers, as a light shower is expected in the next few minutes. Bottas and then Alonso post the first notable times at 2:08.470. Rosberg takes his turn: 2:08.108, despite a major off. Romain Grosjean is struggling: a big spin at the La Source hairpin. Hamilton seems less disturbed. He records an impressive 2:07.089, a second ahead of his teammate! Rosberg corrects it: 2:07.494. This is the moment Jean-Eric Vergne chooses to hit the track. For now, the three French drivers are in the last three positions. Twelfth place for Vergne, a few hundredths behind his teammate, Kvyat. For now, everything is under control for Mercedes, Ferrari, Williams, McLaren, and Red Bull who are monopolizing the Top 10.

The Toro Rosso seem capable of breaking into the Top 10, while Hamilton improves: 2:06.609. Rosberg follows with 2:06.723, with the best first and second sectors. The duel is on. Vergne fails to make it into the Top 10 at the last moment. He remains twelfth, while Kvyat is ousted by Sebastien Vettel. The five top teams are on point: Mercedes, Williams, Red Bull, Ferrari, and McLaren. Despite the rain, no surprises.

Eliminated in Q2: Kvyat, Vergne, Pérez, Sutil, Grosjean, and Bianchi.

Q3: Sebastian Vettel is eager to hit the track. Three minutes before the start of the session, he situates himself at the end of the pit lane to ensure a time right at the start of the session. He is followed by the Mercedes, Alonso, and Massa. The track isn’t dry, and all drivers are on intermediates. Vettel fires the first shot with a 2:08.141. Rosberg comes in behind him and sets a time of 2:05.598! Provisional pole for the German, Hamilton is seven-tenths behind. Vettel, who, let’s remember, had hardly run yesterday due to a power unit issue, and the Ferraris follow.

Rosberg is the first to get back on track, aiming for an improvement. Already more than two seconds behind after the first sector, it won’t be in his first lap. Vettel improves his time but remains at a respectable distance, two seconds behind Rosberg. In his last attempt, Lewis Hamilton is a tenth ahead in the first sector, but Rosberg improves with the best first sector. Hamilton is still slightly ahead in the second sector but not enough! At the finish line, he falls short by less than two-tenths. Rosberg goes further by improving, easily! All three sectors belong to the German.

From our special correspondent at Spa-Francorchamps