Belgian GP Qualifying Summary – McLaren Dominate as Charles Leclerc Delivers Magic, Hamilton Eliminated in Q1 Again
After a spectacular Sprint Race earlier in the day, dominated by Max Verstappen, Formula 1 returned to action at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit for the second qualifying session of the Belgian Grand Prix weekend, this time to determine the starting grid for Sunday’s main race. This session, held under changing conditions and with teams allowed to alter car setups due to the Sprint format, produced surprises, brilliance, and more struggles for top names.
Q1 – Hamilton Out Again, Ferrari’s Leclerc Starts Strong
Following the Sprint, teams took full advantage of the more flexible regulations regarding car setups, given that the parc fermé rules do not apply between sessions in a Sprint weekend. With a high probability of rain looming, several teams opted for more downforce, including Red Bull Racing, sacrificing some straight-line speed in the process.
Strategies varied widely: some drivers chose to begin their first run on used soft tyres to re-establish grip levels and confidence on the track, while others went all-in with fresh rubber.
The first drivers to clock in a time were from McLaren, although they remained some distance off yesterday’s track record. By the end of the initial flying laps, McLaren were leading the timesheets once again, followed by Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, Carlos Sainz, and Liam Lawson.
On their second attempt, most drivers improved their times. However, five drivers were eliminated in Q1: Lewis Hamilton of Ferrari, Franco Colapinto, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, and the Aston Martin duo of Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll. For the second consecutive qualifying session of the weekend, the Mercedes team failed to progress both of their cars into Q2. Lewis Hamilton was once again eliminated in Q1, this time due to exceeding track limits at Eau Rouge—a mistake that cost him dearly.
Q2 – Bortoleto Impresses, Sainz Out
In Q2, the McLaren duo continued to dominate, posting lap times that were three-tenths quicker than Max Verstappen, who slotted into third. Behind him were Charles Leclerc, Yuki Tsunoda, and George Russell.
In the second run of Q2, not all drivers managed to improve. As a result, both Haas drivers were eliminated, along with Pierre Gasly, Nico Hülkenberg, and Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz. One of the standout performances came from Gabriel Bortoleto, who advanced to Q3 in a surprising result, along with Yuki Tsunoda—another unexpected name in the final session.
Q3 – Norris on Pole, Leclerc Jumps Verstappen
When Q3 got underway, it was Max Verstappen who set the first benchmark, but his lap was no match for the pace of the two McLaren drivers. Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris dominated once again, continuing McLaren’s exceptional weekend. Norris narrowly missed beating Piastri’s pole lap from Friday but still secured P1 for Sunday’s Grand Prix.
Behind the front row, Charles Leclerc managed to deliver a remarkable lap in his final attempt, jumping ahead of Verstappen to secure a very valuable third position for Ferrari. Behind Leclerc were Russell and Tsunoda, with the Japanese driver continuing his strong weekend.
Although Verstappen improved slightly on his second run, it was not enough to overtake the Ferrari. Norris did not improve on his final lap, but his earlier time was sufficient to hold onto pole position.
This second qualifying session confirmed what had already become evident: McLaren are operating on another level at Spa-Francorchamps. The combination of a well-balanced aerodynamic package and outstanding driver performance has made them the benchmark this weekend.
Max Verstappen did everything possible in a Red Bull RB21 car that appeared limited by a high-downforce setup, which the team deliberately chose to optimize race pace rather than qualifying performance.
Ferrari once again had to rely solely on Charles Leclerc to deliver a strong result. The Monegasque driver rose to the challenge, maximizing the car’s potential and putting in a superb lap to beat Verstappen and secure third place on the grid.
Rain remains a constant threat for Sunday’s Grand Prix, and it could shake up the order. However, based on current pace, McLaren look to be the team to beat heading into the race.
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