Max Verstappen picked up right where he left off before the summer break, charging to pole by a wide margin over Carlos Sainz and teammate Sergio Perez. Perez qualified P3 but will start the race P2 because of Verstappen’s engine penalties to be applied for the race tomorrow. Verstappen wins qualifying, but will start at the back due to engine penalties but makes a huge statement to Leclerc and Ferrari that this championship is his to lose.
The mishaps continue for Ferrari even after they had a long time to think about it over the break, putting the wrong tyres on Charles Leclerc at the start of Q3. In what could be the final nail in the coffin of Leclerc’s championship hopes, he finished behind Verstappen which will crucially put him behind the Dutchman on Sunday. Teammate Carlos Sainz who would of liked to get P1 on the road qualified P2 after his final run was compromised after scraping through some gravel traps but will start P1 due to Verstappen’s grid penalties.
Both Mercedes made Q3 but in the end showed the car’s weakness on a power track like Belgium only able to finish in P7 with Hamilton and P8 for Russell respectively. Hamilton and Russell continue to be nose to tail to each other in qualifying and more than likely the race tomorrow. With all the grid penalties however this will seem a missed opportunity for the duo.
Soon to be divorced driver Daniel Ricciardo could only put himself P11 even with a tow from penalty stricken teammate Lando Norris. Ricciardo will however start in the top 10 due to the mass of grid penalties around him, including Norris. Still, Ricciardo would of liked the opportunity to be even higher on the grid on Sunday by making Q3 like his teammate. Lando Norris slotted his car into P10 but will start in the back with grid penalties.
Both Alpine’s impressed during qualifying, both making Q3 with Ocon slotting himself in P5 but like others will start further back because of engine penalties. Recently announced departure Fernando Alonso using the help of a tow from Ocon was able to finish in P6, finishing easily higher than both Aston Martin’s, his soon to be team next year which can’t be a good omen for the Spaniard. However he will start P3 after penalties are applied.
With all Guenther Steiner’s hopes riding on Kevin Magnussen to make it to at least Q2 because of Mick Schumacher’s grid penalties, the Dane disappointed, only able to slot his Haas into P18 after a lock up on his final flying lap in Q1. Schumacher made Q2 but was slowest in the session, finishing P15 and because of that will start P20 on Sunday, a mega job for the German to try and get his Haas into contention for points tomorrow.
For the first time since Monaco 2015 and a remarkable 148 race span, Mr. consistency Valterri Bottas was knocked out of Q1 and will start from the back anyway due to engine component changes on his Alfa Romeo. His teammate Zhou Guanyu slotted himself into P13 but is one of the 6 drivers that will start the second half of the season from the back due to engine changes as well.
In his final Belgian GP qualifying, Sebastian Vettel could only muster P16 because of Alex Albon’s mega lap in Q1 to push the veteran German driver into the bottom 5. Vettel will see his starting position improve however because of the mass of drivers taking grid penalties this weekend. Lance Stroll puts himself P14, complaining over the radio after his run that he had no grip and was much slower than everyone else.
Nicholas Latifi was knocked out again in Q1, with the Canadian putting his William in P17 after seeing teammate Alex Albon fly up to P6 in Q1. The most impressive driver in Belgium today undoubtedly was Alex Albon who flew his Williams to an amazing P9 which will improve after penalties are applied. Albon’s car showed it has the pace being the fastest on the straights which should suit the Williams well with Belgium being a power track. With Albon making Q3 all 20 drivers have now made it into Q3 at the halfway point of the season
Yuki Tsunoda’s dismal season has continued after the break, only able to put his Alpha Tauri in P19, a full 2.1 seconds off the pace and again being outqualified by teammate Pierre Gasly. Gasly was able to qualify P12 in an impressive showing for the French driver after an up down first part of the season. The potential for a good haul of points is there because of grid penalties.
With a whole host of grid penalties at the front of the grid to the midfield and even into the back marker, this Belgian grand prix field will be split up in unique ways and will surely create another classic race in the hills of Belgium.