Max Verstappen clinched pole for the Belgian Grand Prix sprint race, edging out McLaren’s Oscar Piastri in a tense qualifying shootout at Spa-Francorchamps. The Red Bull driver set a blistering lap of 1:53.456 in SQ3, just 0.011 seconds ahead of Piastri, who pushed hard but couldn’t quite match the Dutchman’s pace on the drying track.
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc grabbed third, showing strong form despite a brief off-track moment in SQ2, while teammate Lewis Hamilton struggled with grip and ended up sixth. Lando Norris, Piastri’s McLaren partner, settled for fourth after a scrappy final lap, with Mercedes’ George Russell rounding out the top five.
The session unfolded amid tricky conditions, starting damp from earlier rain but improving lap by lap. SQ1 saw early drama when Haas rookie Oliver Bearman spun out, triggering a red flag and knocking him to the back. Alpine’s Pierre Gasly also missed the cut, citing setup issues.
In SQ2, Verstappen dominated, but Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll narrowly escaped elimination after a bold tire gamble paid off. The top 10 battled fiercely, with Williams’ Franco Colapinto impressing in ninth on his Spa debut.
This sprint pole boosts Verstappen’s championship lead, especially with main rival Norris starting behind. The 100km dash tomorrow could shake up the grid for Sunday’s main event, where tire wear and potential showers loom large.
