Oscar Piastri delivered a standout performance during Sprint Qualifying at the Belgian Grand Prix, securing pole position with a stunning lap in SQ3. The McLaren driver outpaced Max Verstappen by nearly half a second, while Lando Norris, his teammate, managed third. Due to restrictions allowing only one set of soft tyres in the final session, the top 10 drivers waited until the last minute for a single flying lap. Piastri clocked a 1:40.510, outclassing Verstappen’s 1:40.987 and Norris’s 1:41.128. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc followed in fourth, while Esteban Ocon impressed in fifth for Haas.
The earlier qualifying sessions saw drama unfold, especially in SQ2. Despite Norris setting the fastest time, Piastri narrowly made it through after his initial lap was deleted for track limits violations. He just edged out Racing Bulls’ Liam Lawson by 0.041 seconds. Yuki Tsunoda, George Russell, and both Aston Martin drivers — Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll — were eliminated. Meanwhile, Hamilton was a surprise dropout in SQ1 following a high-speed spin at the final chicane, leaving him 18th. Others to miss out early included Alex Albon, Nico Hulkenberg, Franco Colapinto, and a struggling Kimi Antonelli, who spun on his opening lap.
SQ1 was full of tension as all drivers scrambled to post competitive laps on medium tyres after only one hour of practice. Hadjar led early, but Piastri and Norris soon topped the timesheets. Verstappen slotted between the McLarens with a strong initial effort. Antonelli’s gravel spin and Hamilton’s late error proved costly, with the latter’s spin bringing out yellow flags and affecting those behind. Bearman and Gasly benefitted slightly to progress, while Lawson and Albon were unfortunate to miss out by tight margins. Colapinto and Antonelli rounded out the field.
In SQ2, the McLarens again opened the session, with Norris going fastest and Piastri recovering from a deleted lap to just make the cut. Verstappen topped the session with Leclerc close behind, while impressive laps from Ocon, Bortoleto, Gasly, Bearman, and Hadjar saw them advance. The elimination of Tsunoda, Russell, Alonso, and Stroll marked another surprise, especially for Mercedes, which had both cars out before SQ3. Norris reclaimed top spot late on, setting up a thrilling SQ3 showdown.
The final session became a one-lap challenge on soft tyres. Norris set the benchmark early, but Piastri delivered an unbeatable 1:40.510 lap for his first Sprint pole of the season, with Verstappen settling between the McLarens. Leclerc was nearly eight-tenths off in fourth, while Ocon again impressed in fifth, followed by Sainz, Bearman, Gasly, Hadjar, and Bortoleto. Piastri credited his strong lap to both car performance and his love for the Spa circuit, calling it his favourite. The Sprint race is set for Saturday at noon local time, promising more action from a competitive grid.
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