Lando Norris claimed pole position for the Belgian Grand Prix with a commanding lap in Q3, narrowly edging out his McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri by less than a tenth of a second. Norris’ performance was a strong comeback after trailing Piastri in earlier sessions, and it marked his fourth pole of the season. His pace offers a great chance to close the gap in the Drivers’ Championship. Charles Leclerc also impressed, qualifying third ahead of Max Verstappen, who struggled with a new high-downforce setup that compromised his performance.
Lewis Hamilton had another disappointing session at Spa, failing to progress past Q1 for the second consecutive day. His best lap was deleted due to a track limits infringement at Raidillon, relegating him to 16th on the grid. It was a frustrating continuation of his qualifying woes, following his early Sprint Qualifying exit the day before. His Ferrari teammate fared better, and George Russell managed to qualify sixth for Mercedes behind the standout Alex Albon, who took an excellent fifth for Williams.
The final top ten featured some impressive names, including Yuki Tsunoda, who secured seventh in his best Red Bull qualifying to date. The Racing Bulls duo, Isack Hadjar and Liam Lawson, earned solid eighth and ninth positions respectively. Gabriel Bortoleto completed the top 10 in his Sauber, showing promise despite being over a second behind pole time. Meanwhile, Esteban Ocon and Oliver Bearman missed Q3, finishing 11th and 12th, while Nico Hulkenberg and Carlos Sainz were also eliminated in Q2.
Norris’ pole lap of 1:40.562 came on his first Q3 run and remained unchallenged as neither he nor Piastri could improve on their final laps. With rain expected for Sunday’s race, pole could be especially advantageous at a track like Spa, where clean air and strategy are critical. Norris was confident after the session, brushing off any pre-qualifying concerns and crediting McLaren’s pace and strong internal competition with Piastri as key motivators.
Verstappen, meanwhile, was left puzzled by his car’s handling despite setup changes aimed at improving grip. He admitted the changes added drag without delivering the balance he hoped for, resulting in a disappointing fourth-place start. Hamilton, reflecting on his second Q1 exit, accepted personal responsibility, calling it “unacceptable” and apologizing to his team. With Sunday’s race still ahead, both Hamilton and Verstappen will be looking to make up ground from behind.
About the Author
