Max Verstappen, despite facing a 10-place grid penalty due to taking a new engine, demonstrated his skill by topping the timesheets for Red Bull during a challenging qualifying session at the Belgian Grand Prix on Saturday. The session, marked by mixed wet-and-dry conditions, saw Verstappen outpace Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc.
As a result of Verstappen’s penalty, Leclerc will start Sunday’s race from pole position, mirroring his starting position from 2023. Alongside Leclerc on the front row will be Sergio Perez in the second Red Bull. Perez’s performance was particularly notable, as he managed to secure a strong starting position amid a series of recent qualifying struggles and ongoing speculation about his future with the team.
Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton qualified fourth for Mercedes, placing him on the second row alongside McLaren’s Lando Norris, who secured fifth. Just behind them are Norris’s McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri and George Russell in the second Mercedes, rounding out the top seven.
Carlos Sainz, driving the second Ferrari, will start eighth, followed by two-time champion Fernando Alonso of Aston Martin in ninth. Esteban Ocon of Alpine and Alex Albon of Williams complete the top ten, with Albon just ahead of Verstappen, who will start from 11th.
Reflecting on his qualifying session, Verstappen remarked, “It was a nice qualifying and luckily the weather was ok. It was raining a little bit, but we could do a decent session.” He acknowledged the challenge posed by his grid penalty, adding, “I know I have to start 10 places back so this was the best I could do today and we’ll go from there. I don’t know how quick we are going to be, but I hope we can be in the mix.”
Verstappen will aim to continue his streak by winning the Belgian Grand Prix for the fourth consecutive year. Notably, he has previously triumphed at this race despite grid penalties, winning from sixth place last year. However, this year’s Red Bull car doesn’t exhibit the same clear dominance, and starting from 11th presents a tougher challenge.
Leclerc, reflecting on his own performance, said, “It’s exactly the same as last year and, for me, it’s good as I didn’t expect that. We had tricky conditions and the rain helped us a bit and it’s good to be back at the front of the grid.”
The qualifying session began under steady but light rain, adding an extra layer of difficulty for the drivers. Norris led a train of cars out of the pitlane for Q1, followed closely by the Haas cars and his McLaren teammate Piastri. Piastri encountered a brief moment of drama when he had to drop to fourth position due to a “dangerous” exit by Kevin Magnussen.
This qualifying session sets the stage for an exciting race, with several top drivers looking to make their mark. Leclerc and Perez will seek to capitalize on their front-row starts, while Verstappen will be on a mission to fight his way up the field. Hamilton and Norris, both well-placed on the second row, will also be keen to challenge for podium positions. With the unpredictable weather conditions adding another variable, the Belgian Grand Prix promises to be a thrilling spectacle.
