Belgian Grand Prix – Sprint Qualifying: Oscar Piastri takes pole by a wide margin ahead of Max Verstappen
Aboard a McLaren at ease on the Ardennes toboggan, Oscar Piastri set the fastest time in Sprint qualifying.
SQ1
As during the free practice sessions a few hours earlier, it is still under a bright sun that the single-seaters take to the track for the first twelve minutes of this weekend’s first qualifying session.
The first driver to set a time is Isack Hadjar, who clocks a time with his Racing Bulls that would have placed him 5th in the morning session. Moments later, it’s Kimi Antonelli who draws attention by doing a 360 before Blanchimont. This indirectly bothers his teammate George Russell, who complains about the gravel left on the track.
Surprise at the very end of the session! Lewis Hamilton goes off at the bus stop chicane and is eliminated, just like the man who replaced him at Mercedes, Kimi Antonelli.
List of eliminated: Alex Albon, Nico Hülkenberg, Lewis Hamilton, Franco Colapinto, Kimi Antonelli.
SQ2
In order to clear the runway, this SQ2 starts a few minutes late.
McLaren doesn’t want to take risks and sends Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri on track as soon as the light turns green. It’s the Australian who sets the fastest time before it is canceled due to track limits being exceeded.
Two minutes before the end of the session, it’s Max Verstappen who sets the best time with half a second better than Norris. Charles Leclerc then places himself between the two men with a time two-tenths slower than the Dutchman.
Finally, Norris got everyone to agree while his teammate had a close call as he finished 10th and was the last to qualify for SQ3.
**List of eliminated:** Liam Lawson, Yuki Tsunoda, George Russell, Fernando Alonso, Lance Stroll
SQ3
Soft tires are on the agenda for this SQ3, but there is no rush to hit the track. It takes four minutes, or half of this last part of the session, to finally see the single-seaters in action.
One lap in the program for each driver to achieve the best possible time. Piastri is on cloud nine and posts a time nearly half a second better than Verstappen. The Red Bull driver, like during the free practice session, is positioned between the two McLaren drivers. Notable is Esteban Ocon’s excellent fifth place and the respective 8th and 9th places of Pierre Gasly and Isack Hadjar.
