Oscar Piastri delivered a stellar performance to secure pole position for the Sprint ahead of the Belgian Grand Prix, beating Max Verstappen by nearly half a second. McLaren teammate Lando Norris rounded out the top three in a dramatic qualifying session at Spa-Francorchamps.
The final stage of Sprint Qualifying (SQ3) turned into a one-lap shootout, with teams limited to a single set of soft Pirelli tires. All 10 drivers waited until the final moments to hit the track, building anticipation for the decisive laps. Norris was the first to set a benchmark with a 1m 41.128s, but Verstappen soon edged ahead with a 1m 40.987s. However, it was Piastri who stole the show, clocking an impressive 1m 40.510s to claim his first Sprint pole of the season.
Reflecting on his performance, Piastri said, “It was a good lap. A little scare in SQ2 with the lap deletion, but the car’s been mega all day, and I feel like I’ve been able to put in a lot of good laps. Thanks to the team—the car’s been great, and this is a track I love. It’s my favorite one of the year, and maybe that gave me a couple of extra tenths! It’s always good fun around here, and when the car’s handling as well as it is today, it’s a pleasure.”
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McLaren’s resurgence was evident throughout the session, with both Piastri and Norris consistently near the top of the timesheets. Verstappen, however, remained a formidable challenger, splitting the McLaren duo in SQ3. Despite the gap to Piastri, Verstappen was satisfied with his performance. “Being P2 between the two McLarens in the Sprint Quali today was a really good result for us,” Verstappen said. “I think we maximized the performance of the car, and I enjoyed it out there. The lap itself was good, and the gap was big, but it has been big since FP1, so that’s not a surprise. We just have to focus on ourselves, work on the balance of the car, and try to go faster. With the upgrades, it’s always difficult on a Sprint weekend to say exactly how they’ve impacted the car, but we keep improving and trying to find more performance. Other teams will be doing the same thing, and that’s just how it goes.”
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Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc was the best of the rest, finishing fourth, nearly eight-tenths behind Piastri. Haas impressed with Esteban Ocon taking fifth and teammate Oliver Bearman securing seventh, split by the Williams of Carlos Sainz. Alpine’s Pierre Gasly finished eighth, while Isack Hadjar’s Racing Bulls and Gabriel Bortoleto’s Kick Sauber rounded out the top 10.
The session wasn’t without its challenges for Piastri. In SQ2, his first lap was deleted for exceeding track limits at the top of Eau Rouge. His second effort, a 1m 42.169s, narrowly secured his place in SQ3 by just 0.041s over Liam Lawson’s Racing Bulls. Norris, meanwhile, topped SQ2 with a 1m 41.412s after briefly falling into the drop zone.
The biggest shock came in SQ1, where seven-time World Champion Lewis Hamilton was eliminated. Hamilton spun at high speed into the final chicane, leaving him 18th in the final order. Williams’ Alex Albon narrowly missed the cut in SQ1, finishing 16th, while Kick Sauber’s Nico Hulkenberg, Alpine’s Franco Colapinto, and Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli completed the order. Antonelli’s session was derailed by a high-speed spin at Stavelot, which caused damage and left him unable to improve on his flat-spotted medium tires.
With Piastri on pole and Verstappen in second, the stage is set for an exciting Sprint race at Spa-Francorchamps. McLaren’s strong form has been a highlight of the weekend, and Piastri’s performance underscores the team’s growing competitiveness. Verstappen, however, remains a constant threat, and the battle at the front promises to be intense.
As Piastri put it, “When the car’s handling as well as it is today, it’s a pleasure.” For McLaren, the challenge now is to convert their qualifying success into Sprint and Grand Prix results, while Verstappen and Red Bull will be looking to strike back.