Lando Norris Secures Belgian GP Pole, Verstappen in Fourth
In a thrilling qualifying session at the iconic Spa-Francorchamps circuit, McLaren's Lando Norris clinched his fourth pole position of the 2025 Formula 1 season. This dominant display set the stage for an intense rivalry with his teammate, Oscar Piastri, who had earlier secured pole for the sprint event and finished ahead of Norris in Saturday's 15-lap contest. The competitive nature of the McLaren duo promises an exhilarating race.
During the crucial top 10 shootout, Norris immediately established his authority with a lap time of 1m40.562s, making him the only driver to improve upon his Q2 performance in the initial runs. This impressive effort placed him nearly two-tenths of a second ahead of Piastri and a significant five-tenths clear of Max Verstappen. Verstappen's performance was hampered by his choice of used soft tires, which struggled to deliver optimal grip as track temperatures continued to rise, ultimately impacting his pace.
In the subsequent runs, Verstappen experienced a noticeable slide coming out of La Source, a critical section of the circuit. This error prevented him from improving his lap time, leading to him being narrowly edged out of third place by Charles Leclerc of Ferrari by a mere 0.003 seconds. Meanwhile, the McLaren drivers faced a challenge to further improve their times. Despite Norris's initial difficulty in bettering his mark, Piastri was only able to shave a tenth off his best lap, solidifying Norris's pole position.
Beyond the top three, Alex Albon of Williams delivered an exceptional performance, securing fifth place on the grid. He outpaced George Russell of Mercedes, who could not replicate his strong Q2 run. Yuki Tsunoda of Red Bull also impressed, taking seventh place, just three-tenths behind Verstappen. The Racing Bulls team saw both Isack Hadjar and Liam Lawson qualify within the top ten, placing eighth and ninth respectively, while Gabriel Bortoleto, the Sauber rookie, completed the top ten with an admirable display.
The qualifying session was not without its dramatic moments. In Q2, Oscar Piastri set the pace with a lap of 1m40.626s, leading Norris by less than a tenth of a second, with Verstappen a third of a second behind. The Sauber team's Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto, along with Pierre Gasly of Alpine, Carlos Sainz of Williams, and Oliver Bearman of Haas, found themselves outside the top 10 after the initial runs. Bearman's attempt was notably disrupted by a significant slide at Pouhon, forcing him to abandon his flying lap.
As the session progressed, Pierre Gasly briefly moved into a Q3 spot, but his time was quickly surpassed by other competitors. Esteban Ocon of Alpine missed the cut-off by a mere 0.020 seconds compared to Alex Albon, following a messy final sector. Both Ocon and Bearman, despite their strong sprint qualifying performances, failed to advance, with Bearman's Q1 exit being attributed to a difficult passage through Turn 1.
The start of Q1 saw a minor incident in the pitlane when Nico Hulkenberg's unsafe release resulted in damage to his front wing after an encounter with Lance Stroll of Aston. Both McLaren cars were quick out of the pits on used soft tyres, with Piastri initially leading Norris. Carlos Sainz briefly took the lead in his Williams on fresh soft tyres. Norris then set a leading time of 1m41.010s, with Piastri 0.191 seconds behind and Verstappen a further tenth adrift.
The highly competitive nature of the session meant that marginal improvements were crucial for advancing. Both Mercedes drivers, George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli, found themselves under pressure early on, echoing their sprint qualifying struggles. Despite rapid track evolution, many drivers found their initial banker laps insufficient. Notably, Lewis Hamilton of Ferrari, after a late improvement, had his time deleted for exceeding track limits at Raidillon, relegating him to 16th and marking his second Q1 exit of the weekend. This incident provided a fortunate reprieve for Gabriel Bortoleto, who narrowly made it into Q2.
The qualifying session concluded with a significant shake-up in the grid, highlighting the intense competition and unpredictability of Formula 1. McLaren's strong performance, particularly Norris's pole, sets the stage for a compelling race day where strategy, tire management, and driver skill will be paramount. The diverse mix of teams and drivers in the top positions promises an exciting contest, as they vie for crucial championship points.