Lando Norris secured his fourth pole position of the 2025 F1 season at the Belgian Grand Prix, narrowly outpacing his McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri in an intense qualifying session at Spa-Francorchamps. The qualifying session was closely contested, with Norris edging Piastri by just 0.085 seconds. Despite criticisms after Friday’s sessions, Norris expressed satisfaction with his lap and credited his car’s strong performance throughout the weekend. The McLaren pair have consistently shown pace, pushing each other to perform at the highest level, and Sunday’s potentially wet conditions add intrigue to the race ahead.
Qualifying was a tight affair with surprises throughout. Max Verstappen finished third, unable to close the gap to the McLarens, while Charles Leclerc impressed in fourth. Alex Albon put in a stunning performance for Williams, securing fifth and finishing ahead of George Russell’s Mercedes. The final runs of Q3 saw few improvements, meaning Norris’s first flying lap was enough to claim the top spot. Verstappen appeared to struggle slightly, potentially due to Red Bull’s setup changes aimed at optimizing race-day performance in the rain.
Drama unfolded throughout the earlier qualifying segments, notably in Q1, where Lewis Hamilton had his best lap time deleted due to track limits at Eau Rouge. That controversial call ended his session prematurely and relegated him to start from 16th on the grid. Kimi Antonelli also exited in Q1 for Mercedes, joining a list of big names like Stroll, Alonso, and Colapinto who couldn’t advance. Gabriel Bortoleto capitalized on these errors and advanced into Q2 for Sauber, though he too later had a lap time deleted.
Q2 brought further elimination shocks as Haas lost both its drivers—Esteban Ocon and Oliver Bearman—despite Bearman’s recovery from a near-crash earlier in the session. Pierre Gasly and Carlos Sainz were also knocked out, failing to find enough time. Meanwhile, McLaren maintained their strong form with both Norris and Piastri leading the times, followed by Verstappen and Leclerc. Track evolution was significant during Q1 and Q2, prompting strategic tire decisions, with some drivers initially setting conservative laps on used softs.
Overall, the qualifying session was a showcase of McLaren’s current dominance, with Norris and Piastri clearly a step ahead of the field. Verstappen, though always a threat, couldn’t match their one-lap pace, and Ferrari’s mixed performance—Leclerc in fourth but Hamilton out early—raises concerns for the team. As Sunday’s race looms with the prospect of rain, strategies and car setups will play a crucial role, and all eyes will be on how the front-row McLaren duo handles the pressure from Verstappen and Leclerc behind.
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