Verstappen Swoops up the First Belgium Sprint Shootout Pole from Piastri by 0.011 Seconds.
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SQ1 – Delayed Session Proves no Obstacle for Verstappen
The drivers were presented with a wet Spa-Francorchamps for the Sprint Shootout. The Shootout was designed to be a thrilling, quick, and electric form of qualifying. With each session being shorter (12 minutes, 10 minutes and 8 minutes) than regular qualifying, it challenges the drivers to only one, sometimes two, flying laps. This poses an even stronger challenge at Spa, the longest track in the calendar. Finding the right gap will prove crucial to the drivers success.
Just under 10 minutes before the start of the Shootout, race control delayed the start of SQ1. They were taking no chances on the extreme wet weather. This also supports the drivers calls to race control earlier in the weekend to not be afraid to stop any sessions due to poor conditions. SQ1 begun 35 minutes after the original starting time.
Just like qualifying on Friday, the two Mercedes lined up first to make sure they were first out. The intermediate tire was in use for all drivers. The first outlaps showed the massive amounts of spray being picked up and thrown behind the drivers.
The two Red bulls came out late out of the garages. This however didn’t stop Verstappen going fastest in SQ1 with a time of 1:58.135. Perez managed to get through but with a time 1.2 seconds slower than his teammates. The Mexican driver had a little drag race with Gasly towards the end; a little touch and go between the two.
Hamilton kicked us off with a 2:02.297. The track was clearly improving overtime as Lewis finished P2, 0.804 behind Verstappen. Hamilton looked to have impeded Verstappen into turn 8 earlier in the session, but race control took no further action. Russel was on the edge of being knocked out of SQ1 finishing P15. The Brit locked up into turn 5 on his final lap, however, he was able to scrape through.
The two Ferraris looked confident through the wet conditions. Sainz even went flat out through turn 18. Leclerc, similar to his teammate, seemed to enjoy the slippy track. Sainz ended P6 with Charles just behind in P7. Another Ferrari powered car didn’t have the same joy. Both Haas drivers were knocked out, Hulkenberg not even setting a lap due to a misjudgement by the team.
As proven yesterday, the track drastically improves lap after lap. Piastri already 0.9 quicker than Lewis on his first lap. Piastri and Norris ended up in the bottom 10, still making it through. Norris was in the elimination zone in the last 2 minutes, but managed to breakthrough.
Ricciardo once again out qualifies his teammate Tsunoda who ended up being eliminated. Alpine had an okay SQ1, Ocon managing to stay out of the wall he hit yesterday. Gasly finished P10, two positions behind his French counterpart.
Alonso finished a superb P3. Stroll however hasn’t looked as assured in the car and track as the Spaniard. Stroll only finished P14. It was Williams who proved their pace, Albon and Sargeant both setting purple sectors in the final minute, taking them through to SQ2.
Eliminated – Tsunoda, Bottas, Magnussen, Zhou, Hulkenberg
SQ2 – Stroll Takes the Risk, the Team Pays the Price
Drivers were once again sent out on the intermediates. The track looked like it was close to slicks, but no risks were taken at the beginning of SQ2. Towards the end, Stroll was one of the brave ones to take on the slick tires. The Aston Martin fitted on the mediums and ended up crashing into the wall just out of the hairpin. This caused a detrimental red flag for many drivers; especially his teammate. The session was not continued.
Verstappen once again was lighting up the timing sheets, finishing SQ2 fastest. Perez was in a comfortable P3. The Red Bull sandwich was filled with Lewis Hamilton in P2, just over half-a-second slower than Verstappen. Russel, once again, only just progressed forward in P10. George is living life on the edge today, going super wide at the turn 8 hairpin.
Amongst the controversy and turmoil, both Alpines found their way through to SQ3. Gasly found himself in a very pleasing P4. The two Ferraris also set laps worthy of SQ3. McLaren’s haven’t seemed as strong as they were yesterday during qualifying, but all that matters in SQ2 is progressing into the next session. McLaren were able to do that. Ricciardo can be happy with a P11 finish in his AlphaTauri.
Both Williams found themselves eliminated. This was due to Stroll’s incident ruining their own slick tyre experiments. Sargeant took an early spin, but was able to recover himself back onto the track. Albon was clearly upset over the radio, but he knew they had to try something to get through. Alonso’s hopes lay in his own slick tyre lap. Due to his teammates red flag crash, he wasn’t able to get a final lap in.
Eliminated- Ricciardo, Albon, Sergeant, Stroll, Alonso
SQ3 – Verstappen Takes Pole in a Final Dry Session
The teams finally saw the track dry enough for the red striped soft tyre. In wet or dry, you can always rely on Max Verstappen to get pole position. This pole may be to no ones surprise, but the gap to Piastri was only 0.011. The top 3, completed by Sainz, was spread by just 0.025 seconds. Stunning laps by all three drivers.
Leclerc looked to be on a flyer until a mistake at the corner with no name proved costly. The Monegasque driver slots in behind is teammate in P4. Hamilton had initially taken provisional pole early in the session, quicker than Max’s initial lap. Russel, who has had a tricky Sprint Shootout, was seen to mess up Lewis’ final lap. Not the first time they’ve got close this weekend.
Perez finished P8 which I’m sure he won’t be too happy with. This is especially when one of his laps was riddled with traffic in the final chicane. Gasly P6 and Ocon P9 will bring some light to the Alpine garage this weekend. There was a nice field spread in this qualifying which I’m sure fans enjoyed. Remember, Verstappens grid penalty for the race does not apply to the Sprint, so he is officially on pole for this afternoon.
The Final Top 10:
- Verstappen
- Piastri
- Sainz
- Leclerc
- Norris
- Gasly
- Hamilton
- Perez
- Ocon
- Russell
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