Belgian GP Qualifying: Max Verstappen tops thrilling session as grid penalty hands Charles Leclerc pole
Max Verstappen tops Qualifying at Spa-Francorchamps; Charles Leclerc second but inherits pole position due to five-place grid penalty for Red Bull driver; watch the Belgian GP Sprint Shootout at 11am on Saturday live on Sky Sports F1, followed by the Sprint at 3:30pm
Saturday 29 July 2023 08:13, UK
Max Verstappen topped a thrilling Belgian Grand Prix Qualifying on a drying track but Charles Leclerc will start Sunday's race on pole due to a grid penalty for the world championship leader.
Verstappen, who leads the world championship by 110 points and will be seeking to extend a seven-race winning streak on Sunday, narrowly avoided a shock Q2 exit but regained his composure to top Q3 by 0.8s.
As a result of Verstappen's grid penalty, which he has incurred for exceeding his gearbox part allowance for the season, Ferrari's Leclerc inherits his second pole position of the season.
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Verstappen's Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez, who could also help the team make history with a potential record-extending 13th successive win on Sunday, will start alongside Leclerc on the front row.
Lewis Hamilton will start third for Mercedes after a brilliant late lap, with the seven-time world champion having escaped unpunished after being called to the stewards for re-joining the track unsafely in front of team-mate George Russell in Q2.
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Hamilton's late lap saw him jump ahead of Ferrari's Carlos Sainz and McLaren duo Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris, who appeared to be faster than Mercedes as the track dried out.
Hamilton's team-mate Russell was eighth, while Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll completed the top 10.
Before Sunday's race, the drivers will return to the circuit for Saturday's Sprint double of a shortened qualifying and race, as Belgian hosts the third of six Sprint weekends this season.
Belgian GP Qualifying result
1) Max Verstappen, Red Bull*
2) Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
3) Sergio Perez, Red Bull
4) Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes
5) Carlos Sainz, Ferrari
6) Oscar Piastri, McLaren
7) Lando Norris, McLaren
8) George Russell, Mercedes
9) Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin
10) Lance Stroll, Aston Martin
*Verstappen will receive five-place grid penalty for exceeding gearbox allowance
Rain clears to set up tense session
Much of the discourse leading up to Qualifying at Spa had been around whether the session should be cancelled due to danger caused by the rain that had been forecast.
However, after a very wet practice session earlier in the day which allowed little running, the clouds cleared just in time to allow the track to start drying for the start of Qualifying.
The circuit was still wet as the session began, with the drivers struggling for grip on intermediate tyres.
The dangers were highlighted by Norris, who did well to avoid major damage after going into the gravel at Turn 16.
Despite the volatility, the front-runners managed to avoid dropping out in Q1, although Leclerc did have to deliver in the closing stages as he was at risk of exit before climbing to the top of the timesheet with his final lap.
The biggest drama came as Daniel Ricciardo wasted a lap comfortably good enough to send him through by exceeding track limits, giving up the opportunity to join AlphaTauri team-mate Yuki Tsunoda in Q2.
Verstappen escapes early exit
The drivers began Q2 on intermediates, but soon decided the track was ready for slick tyres, switching mid-way through.
The move wasn't without risk, as Esteban Ocon found out by sending his Alpine into the barrier after losing control, with the damage preventing him from having a chance to advance.
Verstappen and Kevin Magnussen almost fell foul at the same spot moments later, and the former's mistake left him vulnerable to a shock exit as he sat in 10th as the 'driver at risk' with both Magnussen and Gasly still on flying laps.
Neither sufficiently improved to dislodge the Red Bull, but a tetchy Verstappen argued with his race engineer over team radio as he criticised the run-plan that had been decided upon.
There was further disappointment to follow for Magnussen, as the Haas driver was later given a three-place grid penalty for impeding Leclerc, dropping the Dane from 13th to 16th on the grid.
Meanwhile, it was McLaren rookie Piastri, who has impressed amid the team's recent upturn in form, who was the fastest driver on the track, comfortably topping Q2.
Changing conditions lead to late reshuffle
Piastri and Norris, who has finished second at each of the last two races, looked to be Red Bull's most likely challengers, along with Ferrari.
Leclerc, whose excellence over one lap has been rarely seen this season amid Ferrari's struggles, offered a reminder of his talent by topping Verstappen in the opening Q3 runs.
Meanwhile, Mercedes looked to be unable to compete as Hamilton and Russell struggled to match McLaren and Ferrari on the soft tyres.
However, with the track drying further, the final runs brought a significant reshuffle.
Verstappen summoned a brilliant 1:46.168 to pull comfortably clear of the field, while Perez and Hamilton jumped up from the depths of the top 10 to take third and fourth, respectively.
Despite being unable to match Verstappen, Leclerc did enough to hold onto second, and what will ultimately go down as the 20th pole of his career.
While the rain has provided little opportunity to assess how teams will perform in dry conditions, Verstappen's late Qualifying pace suggests that even from sixth he will begin Sunday's race a clear favourite.
More rain is expected for Saturday's Sprint double, but a currently dry forecast for Sunday would suggest Red Bull have every chance of setting a new record for the most consecutive wins within a season.
Watch all sessions from the Belgian Grand Prix Sprint weekend live on Sky Sports F1 from July 28-30. Stream the Belgian GP and more with NOW.
