Max Verstappen was quickest in a wet qualifying for the Belgian Grand Prix, but Charles Leclerc will start on pole position due to the Red Bull driver’s grid penalty.
Verstappen has a 10-grid place penalty – imposed for going over the engine limit for a season – so the world champion will start 11th with Leclerc and Sergio Perez on the front row.
Leclerc is on pole for just the second time this year and he pipped Perez by 0.011s. Lewis Hamilton also narrowly missed out by less than one tenth and will start third.
Lando Norris is hoping to take advantage of Verstappen’s grid penalty but could only qualify fifth, which becomes fourth, and he will have Oscar Piastri and George Russell behind him.
Norris is 76 points behind Verstappen in the drivers’ championship but will need to overtake three cars to win for a second time in his career.
Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz qualified eighth from Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso and Alpine’s Esteban Ocon.
*Verstappen has 10-grid place penalty so will start 11th
Verstappen imperious in the rain
McLaren looked like they would have the car to beat in the dry but there was no stopping Verstappen in the wet weather.
The Dutchman was second in Q1, topped Q2 and was over half a second quicker than everyone else on his first run in Q3.
Perez initially took second but Leclerc found an incredible lap from nowhere at the very end to snatch pole from the under pressure Mexican, who needs a big result this weekend with his Red Bull future again the subject of speculation.
Perez only just sneaked through Q2, with Alex Albon just 0.004s away from knocking him out, but he delivered when it mattered and will fancy his chances of beating Leclerc, whose race pace is expected to be less competitive than Red Bull in the dry conditions.
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Max Verstappen finished well clear of the chasing pack in Belgian GP qualifying but Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc will start on pole due to Verstappen’s 10-place grid penalty.
More to follow…
Sky Sports F1’s live Belgian GP schedule
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Look back at some of the most dramatic moments throughout the years at the Belgian Grand Prix.
Sunday July 28
7:25am: F3 Feature Race
8.55am: F2 Feature Race
10.40am: Porsche Supercup
12:30pm: Grand Prix Sunday – Belgian GP build-up*
2pm: The BELGIAN GRAND PRIX*
4pm: Chequered Flag: Belgian GP reaction
5pm: Ted’s Notebook
*also live on Sky Sports Main Event
The Formula 1 action continues this weekend with the final race before F1’s summer break, the Belgian Grand Prix at 2pm on Sunday. Stream every F1 race and more with a NOW Sports Month Membership – No contract, cancel anytime