Based on the starting grid, the Belgian Grand Prix promises to be a spectacle. McLaren dominates the first row in orange, Max Verstappen is eyeing an opportunity from the second row, and several top drivers face a significant challenge to move up. Add some rain to the mix, and we can prepare for a thrilling event in the Ardennes.
At the iconic Spa-Francorchamps circuit, Lando Norris secured an impressive pole position for McLaren, with teammate Oscar Piastri beside him on the first row. Charles Leclerc upheld Ferrari’s honor with a third-place finish, but the big story on the Italian side is Lewis Hamilton‘s disappointing qualification. The Briton didn’t get further than P16 and is preparing for a comeback race, although Spa is the ideal circuit for such a feat.
Max Verstappen, always a factor at Spa, had to settle for fourth place. Teammate Yuki Tsunoda surprised with P7, his best qualification result since his promotion to Red Bull.
Antonelli in Tears
One of the biggest surprises is Alex Albon’s fifth place in the Williams. Can he maintain that position and perhaps even climb further? On the other end of the spectrum, we find Kimi Antonelli. The Mercedes rookie didn’t get further than the 18th time and was in tears while speaking to the press after the qualification. Teammate George Russell managed to impress with P6, although Mercedes had hoped for more.
For Aston Martin, the weekend could hardly have gone worse. Both drivers start on the last row and can only hope for a miracle, such as a wildly unpredictable rain race on the famous Belgian circuit.
The Belgian Grand Prix starts this afternoon at 13:00 UTC.
