Finishing a Formula 1 qualifying session almost six-tenths behind the fastest driver would not make anyone happy. But the official qualifying for the 2024 Belgian Grand Prix presented a series of situations that rewarded those who found themselves – or managed to place themselves – in that position.
Charles Leclerc will start from pole position tomorrow at Spa-Francorchamps with an excellent lap achieved in his final Q3 attempt. Ferrari made a great choice to save at least one set of Soft tires for the final act of Qualifying, and this paid off.
The new set of intermediates made the difference, along with the perfect timing with which the Maranello team sent the Monegasque driver onto the track. Charles was the last of the top drivers to complete his fast lap, and with the track improving lap after lap, he brought Ferrari to the front row.
Pole position then came thanks to the 10-place penalty that Max Verstappen will serve tomorrow. So Charles Leclerc will start from the first position next to another Red Bull, that of Sergio Perez: the same front row we saw in the 2023 Formula 1 championship.
“It’s exactly the same situation,” Charles Leclerc said at the end of Qualifying at Spa-Francorchamps. “I didn’t expect it this weekend with these conditions. We managed to do something beyond our expectations, and now we have to focus on tomorrow. We’ll see what happens without the rain.”
Charles Leclerc was honest in stating that without the rain, it would have been impossible to achieve such a result. He likely would have fought for a Top 5 spot alongside the Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton and George Russell.
“I think without this rain we would have fought for fifth place with the Mercedes. The rain helped us, and I’m not complaining. I’m very happy with the lap I did in Q3, and it’s great to be back at the front of the grid. But tomorrow we have to try to finalize everything.” – he pointed out.
The starting position at Spa is perhaps the worst in the entire championship because, after Eau Rouge and Raidillon, there will be the interminable Kemmel straight where Charles Leclerc will be at the mercy of the cars behind him.
“The first position is not easy to maintain here at Spa; it’s one of the worst front positions. But every start is unique, and we’ll see where we are once we get to Eau Rouge. Tomorrow I’ll decide what the best thing to do is, but I’ll still try to keep the first place.” – the Monegasque driver concluded following the qualifying session for the Belgian Grand Prix.
